News of the month September 2025

News of the Month – September 2025 brings together some of the most inspiring and significant updates from across the disability, healthcare, and education sectors. This month has seen remarkable achievements, technological advancements, and inclusive initiatives aimed at empowering individuals with disabilities and raising awareness about neurodiversity.

From Jiya Rai’s historic solo swim across the Catalina Channel as the first female autistic paraswimmer, to new eye-tracking technology enabling earlier autism diagnosis in children, September has highlighted both individual accomplishments and systemic progress. Additionally, advancements in healthcare, awareness campaigns, and government support mechanisms from integrated disability rehabilitation centers to therapeutic schools have strengthened the ecosystem for differently-abled individuals.

Jiya 1st autistic female to swim across Catalina Channel in US

From Navy Nagar in Colaba, Jiya Rai, 17, the daughter of Indian Navy sailor Madan Rai, became the first female paraswimmer with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to swim solo across the Catalina Channel in the United States. In 15 hours, 1 minute, and 43 seconds, she finished swimming 34 kilometers.

According to the officials, Jiya is the first girl with ASD to accomplish this in the 100-year history of Catalina Channel swimming. She swam alone from Catalina Island at midnight on September 25 and arrived in San Pedro, California, in the afternoon of September 26. Jiya devoted her swim to raising awareness of autism. "She started swimming as therapy and went on to complete an epic 1,100km relay swim from Mumbai to Goa and back in 2022," her father, Madan Rai, told TOI. She was awarded India's highest honor for young achievers, the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (2022), for her voyage.

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Paracetamol Linked To Autism? Ex-WHO Chief Scientist Refutes Trump's Claims

According to pediatrician and former World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, paracetamol is a proven safe medication, so there is no reason to be alarmed about its use. Dr. Swaminathan's comments followed US President Donald Trump's association of autism with Tylenol, a pain reliever that contains paracetamol (acetaminophen) as its primary constituent.

NDTV exclusive: "I see no proven scientific evidence of linking paracetamol to autism," Dr. Swaminathan stated. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of paracetamol, according to Dr. Swaminathan, who advised using the medication as directed by a doctor. Additionally, she advised against looking up medical advice on Google.

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New eye-tracking tech promises earlier autism diagnosis for children in India

In India, autism screening has always relied on subjective evaluations, which frequently results in delayed diagnoses around four or five years of age. Butterfly Learnings' Get SET Early program seeks to address that with a quicker and more impartial method. With the use of behavioral science and eye-tracking technology, the system—which has received regulatory approval in India—provides a data-driven evaluation in a matter of minutes, providing parents and physicians with an early opportunity for intervention.

The technique, created by Dr. Karen Pierce, Co-Director of the University of California, San Diego's Autism Center of Excellence, uses eye movements to gauge children's social attention patterns. This approach generates an overall autism score that indicates the severity of symptoms in addition to determining if a kid exhibits symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This approach generates a comprehensive autism score that not only determines if a kid exhibits symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also how severe those symptoms are.

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Delhi HC upholds right of autistic child to continue education in Pvt school

The Delhi High Court denied GD Goenka Public School's appeal to refuse a kid with moderate autism admission after she had already been admitted, upholding the child's right to complete her education in a private school. Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela led a panel that deemed the school's objections "unfounded," citing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 as the basis for its ruling.

The court upheld the conclusions of an independent expert committee that evaluated the youngster and determined that she may stay in school as long as she was assigned a shadow teacher to help her.

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Kamakhya Nagar Sarbajanin Durga Puja Committee dedicates celebrations to kids with autism

The Kamakhya Nagar Sarbajanin Durga Puja Committee has chosen to honor youngsters with autism this year in an effort to promote inclusivity. To make sure these kids feel like they are an essential part of the celebrations, the committee, which is renowned for fusing customs with socially conscious projects, has planned a number of unique events.

The children will actively participate in the daily puja rites as part of the project, according to committee secretary Sanjay Sengupta. They will participate in the community's prayers and anjali to Goddess Durga, signifying their participation in the celebrations' spiritual center. This action is intended to make sure that they enjoy Durga Puja more than just as onlookers," he continued.

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"Facts Remain Unchanged": Tylenol Maker After Trump Links It With Autism

The Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that sells Tylenol, Kenvue, said in a statement Tuesday that there is "no credible science" supporting the association between the pain reliever and autism, a claim that even public health organizations "agree" with.

"Reliable, independent scientific evidence continues to show no proven link between taking acetaminophen and autism," the corporation stated in a message that appears on its website. Public health and medical organizations concur. If you are giving your child acetaminophen, please be aware that there is no reliable scientific evidence linking the drug to autism. The facts are still the same: more than ten years of thorough research, supported by top medical experts, has shown that there is no solid proof that acetaminophen causes autism. The business claims that their "best advice" is to consult a healthcare provider before using the pain reliever, which is also known as "acetaminophen" or "paracetamol."

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Cbse launches registration portal for students with special needs application begins september 9 onwards

The Children With Special Needs (CWSN) registration schedule for the Class 10 and 12 Board Examinations 2026 has been released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). This action guarantees that students who need more assistance can receive the required accommodations, facilitating their exam-taking. Within a certain amount of time, schools all throughout India must register these pupils on the Pariksha Sangam platform.

Students will have access to facilities that are suited to their needs if the appropriate paperwork is submitted and the candidates are appropriately marked. In order to guarantee inclusivity, equity, and a seamless administration of board exams for students with disabilities, CBSE places a strong focus on rigorous adherence to protocols.

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Bokaro man gets disability pension

The disability pension of a person who attended a public grievance meeting at his office and submitted a written letter stating his desire to commit suicide was granted by Deputy Commissioner Ajaynath Jha on Tuesday.

In his letter, Sector-8 resident Shyam Sundar Kumar requested permission to "die by suicide". Shyam Sundar informed the DC that he was disabled as a result of a serious damage to his hand sustained in a work-related accident. The corporation at the time made promises, but they were never realized. He claimed that years of suffering and unfulfilled promises had sapped his will to live. "The public grievance meeting's goal is to not only listen, but also to demonstrate to the general public the way to justice and solutions. According to the DC, prompt assistance can be a lifesaver for anyone.

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Disabled seek fair assessment, increase in monthly aid

On Tuesday, over 100 members of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers Association (TARATDAC) demonstrated in Madurai, calling for a rise in monthly payment, a fair evaluation of impairment by physicians, and other demands.

To commemorate their protest, the demonstrators staged a jail-filling movement in the area of the Madurai district collectorate. "There have been instances recently where doctors have treated patients with real disabilities in an unprofessional way and failed to provide them with a fair evaluation when they appeared before the Govt Rajaji Hospital medical board. To stop such incidents from occurring in the future, action must be taken. "Just basic necessities and livelihood are already causing hardship for people with disabilities," stated A Balamurugan, TARATDAC's Madurai district secretary.

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State’s 1st integrated disability rehabilitation centre comes up in doon

Gandhi Shatabdi Hospital, a branch of Coronation District Hospital in Dehradun, hosted the opening of Uttarakhand's first state-of-the-art, multipurpose District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) on Wednesday. For those with disabilities, the center will offer a variety of services under one roof, such as disability certifications, physiotherapy, counseling, assistive equipment distribution, and access to government welfare programs.

"Divyangjan will receive all necessary services in one place and medical procedures will be simplified for them," Dehradun Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal stated after the inauguration. The project will contribute to realizing the goal of creating a robust, empowered society.

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Odisha resource persons for children with special needs demand job regularisation

On Sunday, resource persons for children with special needs (CWSN) who work in several state blocks called for their employment to be regularized. There are about 570 resource people who help kids with special needs learn in school and gain advantages from government programs. They make sure the kids get wheelchairs, CWSN credentials, and monthly stipends so they can go to local schools with honor.

They assist children with 21 different types of disabilities, according to Kartik Biswal, head of the All Odisha Association of Resource Persons for CWSN. We convince their parents to send their kids to school by going to their houses. After that, we arrange for them to be taught in schools. The government ought to recognize our efforts," he continued.

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New therapeutic school offers hope for children with autism, special needs

Parents worry about their children's future because special needs and autistic children frequently find it difficult to fit in at regular schools. RRM Therapeutic School was created as a special education, therapy, and life skills training facility in response to this urgent issue. By providing a loving environment where children are raised and taught to be self-sufficient, the institution hopes to be a fresh source of hope for families.

With distinct classes at various levels, the school seeks to offer each child individualized support through specialized education, life skills development, and occupational and speech therapy. A Havan Yagna ceremony was held to properly inaugurate the institution. Sangeeta Mittal, director of Sonalika CSR Projects and a spiritual mentor, and Amrit Sagar Mittal, vice-chairman of the Sonalika Group, graced the event and formally dedicated the school to society.

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Disabled Persons Welfare Society organises seminar on Teacher’s Day

The Disabled Persons Welfare Society held a seminar at Model Town Club in honor of Teacher's Day to increase awareness of the critical role teachers play in the lives of children with disabilities. Emphasizing the need of inclusive education, the seminar's theme was "Teachers' Role in Shaping Attitude towards Differently-Abled Children."

The keynote speaker was Dr. Nirmala Devi, an assistant professor of sociology at GNDU, and the event was headed by retired principal Desh Veer Sharma. The program began with the lamp being lit, and then music teacher Ranjeet Singh performed a version of Saraswati Vandana. President Sandeep Sharma and Coordinator Pooja Vishisht greeted everyone warmly in their remarks. Equal rights and respect for those with disabilities were emphasized by both. While Desh Veer Sharma advised educators to continue being watchful and supportive of students with special needs, Dr. Nirmala Devi emphasized the significance of educational equality.

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AI could soon detect early voice box cancer from the sound of your voice

Researchers have demonstrated that the acoustic characteristics of the voice, particularly the harmonic-to-noise ratio and its change within speech, can be used to differentiate between patients with benign vocal fold lesions and laryngeal cancer. This work may now be fed into machine learning algorithms to create AI apps that use voice recognition to triage people at risk for laryngeal cancer, as the proof-of-principle has been produced.

Laryngeal or voice box cancer is a significant public health concern. An estimated 1.1 million instances of laryngeal cancer were reported globally in 2021, and the disease claimed the lives of about 100,000 people. Human papillomavirus infection, alcohol misuse, and smoking are risk factors. Depending on the stage of the tumor and where it is located in the voice box, the prognosis for laryngeal cancer varies from 35% to 78% survival following five years of treatment.

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RFK Jr's voice ‘getting worse’; Charlie Kirk funeral service raises concerns - What's wrong with his throat?

Several high-ranking officials from the Donald Trump administration spoke at Charlie Kirk's burial service on September 21, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But there were worries in his tense voice. Glendale, Arizona's State Farm Stadium served as the venue for Kirk's funeral. On September 10, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was shot and killed while at an event at Utah Valley University.

He always offered the largest microphone to those who were most vehemently opposed to him because he believed that dialogue was the only way to mend our nation, according to RFK Jr. The Health Secretary's greeting for Kirk was heartfelt, but his tense tone raised eyebrows. Even one X user attributed it to him becoming "overcome with emotion."

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