Pune: Pimpri Chinchwad Hosts National Symposium on Early Intervention and School Readiness for Children with Disabilities
Pimpri, 29th April 2025: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) hosted the National Symposium on Early Intervention and School Readiness: Bridging the Gaps for Inclusion of Children with Disabilities, along with a book launch, at Ga. Di. Madgulkar Hall. Organized by the Divyang Bhavan Foundation (DBF), the event brought together policymakers, educators, health experts, and advocates to advance inclusive education and early intervention for children with disabilities (CwDs).
The inaugural session was graced virtually by Chief Guest Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, IAS, Secretary, Department of Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. PCMC Commissioner and DBF Chairman Shri Shekhar Singh, IAS, attended in person as the Patron, while Dr. Sharanjeet Kaur, Chairperson of the Rehabilitation Council of India, joined virtually as the Guest of Honour. The session featured a welcome address by Shri Omprakash Deshmukh, IAS (Retd.), Managing Director of DBF, followed by the book launch and addresses by the dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal praised PCMC’s Divyang Bhavan initiative, noting that PCMC is the first municipal corporation in India to implement such a campaign. He urged every municipal corporation across the country to visit PCMC and adopt similar initiatives to promote inclusion.
In her keynote address, Dr. Sharanjeet Kaur remarked, “In my 33-year career, I have never seen an initiative like Divyang Bhavan. Such programs should be implemented nationwide, and all municipal corporations in India should take note of PCMC’s efforts and replicate these initiatives in their regions.”
In his address, Commissioner Shekhar Singh outlined ambitious plans for early identification and intervention for children with disabilities. “We are on track to launch a home-to-home survey by mid-May. Within the next two months, a targeted 0-6 age group survey will commence. This symposium provides the firepower to kickstart these initiatives. The role of education, health, and ASHA workers is critical for the 0-6 survey. In the next six months, we aim to establish a model for early identification and intervention,” Singh announced, emphasizing the urgency and collaborative approach needed for inclusive development.
The symposium featured two panel discussions. The first, themed Early Childhood Intervention & Education: Review & Way Forward, was chaired by Dr. Suman Kumar, Director of AYJNISHD (D), Mumbai, and moderated by Dr. Ravi Prakash Singh, In-Charge, NIEPID, Navi Mumbai. Key speakers included Prof. Suniti Sanwal from NCERT, who discussed provisions of the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) for CwDs, and Dr. Mangesh Gadhari, Health Specialist at UNICEF, who highlighted early screening and intervention strategies. Smt. Farida Lambay, Co-Founder of Pratham Mumbai, shared insights on the way forward for inclusive early childhood education.
The second panel, themed School Readiness: Review and Way Forward, was chaired by Dr. Dhanajay Bhole, Advisor to DBF, and moderated by Mr. Joyanta Chandra Mandal from AYJNISH(H), Mumbai. Speakers like Prof. Anupam Ahuja, former HOD at DGSN NCERT, and Prof. Amitav Mishra from IGNOU addressed community practices, human resource development, and capacity building for sustaining inclusive education. Prof. Vandana Saxena from CIET-Delhi University outlined strategies to bridge gaps in human resources for inclusive schools.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Paresh Gandhi, CEO of DBF. Attendees included prominent figures such as Pradeep Jambhale Patil, Additional Commissioner (1) PCMC, Dr. Varsha Gathoo, former HOD at AYJNISHD (D), and Shri Vijay Kanehkar, Secretary of MGSS, among others.
