News of the Month June 2025

In a month brimming with milestones, breakthroughs, and heartfelt stories, June has showcased the power of collective action, policy change, and personal courage to shape a more inclusive world for neurodivergent individuals and children with special needs. From visionary government programs and pioneering therapy models to moving personal narratives and community initiatives, here’s your round-up of the most impactful developments this month.

Global Autism Therapy Framework for 90 crore children: How India cracked 144-year-old world problem,

Pinnacle was recognized as South India's Best Autism Therapy Network in a full-page article headlined "Spreading Smiles Like a Dash of Sunshine" in the Times of India National Spotlight (2020). However, the following editorial statement—rather than the prize itself—was the true headline:

"This isn't a facility. This movement is driven by systems, science, and the soul.

Representing the essence of the campaign, which has its roots in a social movement—a national therapeutic model created by moms, managed by women, and scaled by systems—Dr. Sreeja Reddy Saripalli was given the Praxis Media Women Leadership Award (2021). Pinnacle was featured in YourStory Entrepreneur Spotlight (2023) as a public health framework that is AI-enabled, mother-powered, and scalable without compromising humanity, rather than as a startup.

Read this news by economictimes

Criminal Justice spotlights Asperger's, real patients still battle daily inequity

Asperger's is the true star of the OTT series making headlines. Indeed, 'My Name Is Khan' also existed, but it was in 2010. It is 2025. The medium has evolved, but there are still issues. In the real world as well as in fiction, Asperger's syndrome deserves to be treated fairly.

One in 68 children in India has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and although Asperger's syndrome is frequently grouped under the more general ASD umbrella, it is nevertheless clinically different in many ways. Despite having essentially full language skills, it is characterized by severe difficulties in social interaction and communication, as well as limited interests. Although psychiatric co-morbidities like sadness and anxiety are prevalent, there is still a shocking lack of public awareness.

Read this news by indiatoday

A go-to place for expertise on autism spectrum disorder

This unique center in KK Nagar is working on a number of projects, such as compiling a list of people on the spectrum, in addition to interacting with parents of children with special needs. Despite only being six months old, the Centre for Excellence for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is housed within the Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine in K.K. Nagar, has made impressive progress.

The Center, which was established by the State Government to provide a variety of services and guidance to parents and guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder, aims to establish itself as a "go-to-place" for ASD.

Read this news by timesofindia

Delhi govt issues admission guidelines for children with special needs

Guidelines for the admission of children with special needs (CWSN) to private schools' entry-level courses were published by the Delhi Directorate of Education (DoE).

Children with qualifying disabilities are eligible to apply, per a circular released on Friday. According to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act of 2016, a person is considered to have a "benchmark disability" if they have at least 40% of a certain condition that requires certification from a government hospital.

According to the circular, children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, or similar conditions may also be taken into consideration based on evaluation or diagnostic results.

Read this news by business-standard

Iron overload may explain why Alzheimer’s hits harder in people with Down syndrome

Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered a significant connection in a recent study that could help explain why people with Down syndrome experience Alzheimer's disease earlier and more severely than the general population. The offender? excess iron in the brain, which causes ferroptosis, a harmful type of cell death.

People with both Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease (DSAD) have twice as much iron in their prefrontal cortex as people with either Alzheimer's or neither disease, according to a study published by researchers at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. According to the study, this iron accumulation speeds up the disease's course by causing oxidative stress and cell membrane damage.

Read this news by theweek

Visually impaired children perform yoga in Mysuru

On Saturday morning, visually impaired children perform at the 11th International Yoga Day event held on the grounds of Mysuru Palace. People were impressed by the special and visually impaired children who performed at the 11th International Yoga Day event on Saturday morning at the Mysuru Palace grounds. For both 10-year-old Shankar, who did yoga at the event, and 8-year-old Chetan of class 1, visual impairment was not an obstacle. Up to 29 classmates from classes 1–10 at the Government Blind School for Boys of Mysuru joined them.

Members of an NGO, Payal Sharma and Anil Kumar, under the direction of their CEO, Anantha Lakshmi, accompanied and assisted them. In addition to yoga, the NGO has been teaching students computer skills, spoken English, swimming, and other sports. The children were also joined by three teachers: Shivakumar, Ravi, and Uday.

Read this news by deccanherald

Asian Paints and St+art India Foundation Launch ‘Project Udaan’ to Support Neurodivergent Children on World Caring Day

Asian Paints and the St+art India Foundation have launched "Project Udaan" at Arpan Charitable Trust in Vadodara, a school that supports kids with special needs, in honor of World Caring Day. The project is a component of the ongoing St+art Care program, which aims to combine intelligent aesthetics and creative design to turn public areas into welcoming, emotionally supportive settings.

By changing their environment with soothing textures, pastel colors, and interactive zones, Project Udaan improves the sensory experience of neurodivergent kids, including those with autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy. The goal of these design features is to provide a secure, stimulating, and caring atmosphere that honors the various ways young kids see and interact with the outside world.

Read this news by themachinemaker

Sunny Deol Recalls Dealing With Dyslexia, Struggling While Reading Scripts: Nobody Knew About It | EXCLUSIVE

Sunny Deol talked candidly about overcoming dyslexia in a Zoom exclusive interview. The Bollywood actor reminisced on how difficult it was for him to read and study his movie scripts. The performer, however, adjusted to it in a variety of ways. No one knew what he had to endure, Sunny revealed.

For more than thirty years, Sunny Deol has been employed in the Hindi film industry. He is well recognized for his roles in high-octane action sequences in action-packed movies. Sunny revealed a little-known aspect of his life in a recent, exclusive interview with Zoom's Spotlight Session. The Bollywood star talked about his difficulties learning and comprehending his movie scripts as he considered his experiences with dyslexia.

Read this news by timesnownews

Uttar Pradesh launches sugamya worksheets for nearly 3 lakh children with special needs

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched "Sugamya Worksheets" to assist the state's almost 2.96 lakh special needs students, marking a significant step toward inclusive education. The program, which was created in collaboration with UNICEF, aims to improve foundational learning while fostering in differently-abled pupils a sense of belonging and self-confidence.

The worksheets contain Hindi and mathematics, two fundamental disciplines, and are aimed at children in Classes 1 through 8. There are 1,900 worksheets in all, 600 for Classes 6–8 and 1,300 for Classes 1–5. With the exception of total vision impairment, all disability groups are served by these specially created items. The worksheets are designed to make learning more approachable and interesting through the use of straightforward language, vibrant graphics, and interactive forms.

Read this news by indiatoday

June 2025 was a month of remarkable progress in the fields of disability inclusion and neurodiversity. From India pioneering a scalable autism therapy framework to state governments rolling out supportive policies and learning materials, the momentum for change continues to build. Personal storieslike Sunny Deol’s candid reflection on dyslexiaand community-driven projects such as Project Udaan further highlight the collective commitment to creating a more understanding and inclusive society. Whether in research breakthroughs, public health innovations, or cultural representation, these developments remind us that meaningful impact is possible when science, policy, and empathy work hand in hand.