VELLORE: An array of wooden hair clips, handmade earrings, canvas paintings, a collection of painted pottery and jute bags, and many other handmade goods are on vibrant display at Made by Special Hands, a shop initiated to channel the creativity of autistic individuals.
Brainchild of the Day Activity Centre (DAC) in Sathuvachari and Autism Residential Community in Anaicut, the initiative was was inaugurated last year in Sathuvachari to address an important question: Who will take care of an autistic child as they transition into adulthood, and what will happen to them after their parents pass away?” Made by Special Hands. The DAC and ARC empower these adults by offering dignified skill development through subject-matter experts so that they can manage their basic needs independently.
"These items are made by the children from our centre with the help of instructors," Founder Pradeep Jeyathilak said. "Autism is a developmental disorder; it is not a mental illness. Every autistic person needs lifelong support. The biggest challenge we have as a society is to comprehend who will care for the individual after their parents are gone," Jeyathilak added.
India does not have a single, dedicated national autism census from the ICMR or the Ministry of Health, so it is not possible to estimate the exact number of individuals living with autism in the country. Yet, an estimated 1 in 68 children in India aged 2–9 are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a 2024 commentary in the peer-reviewed journal Indian Paediatrics. Jeyathilak’s son Sharan (28) was diagnosed with ASD when he was 17 months old. He highlights a significant gap in understanding the realities of living with ASD among bureaucrats who execute direct welfare measures for affected individuals. He believes parents of children with disabilities possess a much deeper awareness of the disorder than officials do.
Jeyathilak points to a gap in data collection for ASD individuals in the 2027 census. "How can a person with autism be categorised with someone with Down syndrome? All intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) cannot be grouped," he said. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act of 2016 expanded legally recognised disabilities from seven to 21, including autism. However, the 2027 Census framework includes only nine broad categories, meaning autism will be grouped with other "intellectual disabilities."
There is also no uniform school curriculum for neurodivergent children in India, and special schools develop their own syllabus based on each child's needs. To address this, a the day activity centre in Sathuvachari is run with 13 children, including one girl child and 9 adults, sustained by fees collected from parents. "Absence of a standardised curriculum creates significant challenges for special students; it's important to establish one as a need of the hour," Jeyathilak said. The centre focuses on providing age-appropriate learning for kids and adults. The learning is guided by over 10 staff persons who are speech therapists and special educators and rooms are filled with timetables curated for each student, colourful charts and posters, one of which reads: "Autism is proof that love doesn't need words."
As the shop has received overwhelmingly positive responses from the local community, Jeyathilak invites other autistic individuals in Vellore to contribute and sell creative products as part of the programme.
(To contribute, Pradeep can be reached on cell by 70942 21204)