Wall of Fame: Recognizing Smrithy Rajesh's Timeless Efforts

May 4, 2018
5 min read

Updated: Jul 2

"The art of mothering is to teach the art of living to children." — Elaine Heffner

A devoted mother, an inspiring role model for parents, and a genuinely warm human being — words hardly do justice to Mrs. Smrithy Rajesh. She's mother to Advaith, a wonderful young man with autism, and her journey with him is one every parent navigating a similar path deserves to read.

"I empowered myself and started working with my son. Addu's smile is a great motivation for me. Advaith made me a better person, and he is my teacher. He taught me that nothing is impossible. His diagnosis made me a strong, independent woman who believes in her child." — Smrithy Rajesh

Her road hasn't been an easy one — there have been countless ups and downs — but Smrithy has been a steady pillar of perseverance and unconditional effort throughout her son's journey.

Coming to Terms with an Autism Diagnosis

Smrithy recalls the early days honestly: "When Advaith was diagnosed with Autism, like most parents, I was not able to come to terms with it, and this was a difficult period in my life. I was not aware of Autism, and no one was able to understand me. My family members attributed his condition to bad parenting. I underwent depression at that time."

But that difficulty didn't stop her from moving forward. With her husband as a steady source of support, the two of them committed to giving their son everything they had.

"I kept a distance from all the negative people who were trying to pull me down," she shares. "We decided to move forward with a positive attitude and enrolled Advaith into intervention programmes. Simultaneously, I started working as his co-therapist. I was part of his sessions and learning from the therapist. Then I replicated the same programs at home. After some time, I realized that I cannot depend entirely on therapists, and decided to do a diploma course in Special Education. That decision really helped me understand Autism and relate to my son better."

Discovering Advaith's Talents Through Sports and Physical Activity

Smrithy has been a constant source of encouragement for Advaith — actively identifying his strengths and helping him put them to purposeful use.

"He was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism," she explains. "He was too hyperactive, so I decided to focus on more physical activities. We taught him cycling, swimming, basketball, badminton, and skating. Sports helped him reduce his hyperactivity, and we discovered that Advaith is extremely good at roller skating. That brought about lots of appreciation, which gave him greater confidence about his skills, and he started improving in all areas of learning."

Turning a Stim Into a Skill — and a Small Business

One of the most striking parts of Advaith's story is how a repetitive behavior became a genuine talent. "His obsession with stimming using a thread helped him learn a skill — jewellery making — and he is already earning an income from that," Smrithy shares. Advaith also does simple data entry work and continues computer skills training, building toward meaningful vocational independence.

Smrithy has since created a dedicated space for exhibiting and selling his craft work, called Addu's Little Creations. Advaith has also competed and won recognition at the state level in sports — including two gold medals in Roller Skating from the Karnataka Disability Department, and a Silver medal at a Roller Skating competition held by Special Olympics Bharat, Karnataka.

Empowering Other Parents in the Autism Community

Beyond being a devoted mother, Smrithy is actively involved in empowering other parents navigating autism, sharing her experiences to spread awareness, positivity, and motivation. She created a blog, My Special Journey with Advaith, which has built a genuinely engaged following for its practical tips on working with children with autism — and for its consistently positive tone. She also shares her journey through a YouTube channel.

What Keeps Smrithy Motivated

When asked how she stays motivated in doing her best for her children, Smrithy reflects on how the effort became a family one:

"When I started working with him consistently, my husband and my elder son also joined me, and thereafter we started working as a team. During weekends and holidays, we started doing lots of outings, and that helped me to keep calm. I always keep a distance from negative people. Addu's smile is a great motivation for me. I share everything that I do with my son with other parents. Spending holidays in different places always helps me get a good break from the daily schedule. I like to go to restaurants for dinner with my family."

"Advaith made me a better person, and he is my teacher. He taught me that nothing is impossible. I was born and brought up in a village and was enjoying my life as a housewife after my marriage. His diagnosis made me a strong, independent woman who believes in her child."

Smrithy's Message to Other Parents

Smrithy closes with a message that's as motivating as it is practical:

"Accept and understand Autism. Acceptance starts from us. The mother is the best therapist, and love is the best method for our kids. Find their strengths, and at the same time, train them to handle their difficulties too. Empower yourself and work as a co-therapist for your child. Ups and downs are bound to be there. Autism is a lifelong disorder, not a disease. Don't waste your time trying to cure Autism. A proper early intervention program can help children reach their maximum potential. Don't focus only on academics — give equal importance to self-help skills and physical activities. Accept them the way they are, and shower them with love!"

Hats off to this remarkable mother for her advocacy, her support for fellow parents and caregivers, and her genuinely innovative approach to making learning and therapy easier for kids. We at 1SpecialPlace wish Mrs. Smrithy continued success in everything ahead.

Recommend someone you know for the 1SpecialPlace Wall of Fame! Email us at info@1specialplace.com