When we first met Sarthak* in November 2025, he was eight years old and in Grade 2. We remember seeing him sitting on his teacher’s chair with both legs up, his shirt untucked, tear stains on his face, and demanding her phone. We came to know Sarthak through our work as Social Work Fellows with Brain Bristle, a Mumbai-based non-profit working to advance autism inclusion and equitable education for children in low-income schools. The Fellowship places selected Master’s students of psychology with specialised training in under-resourced schools across Mumbai. The Fellows work to address systemic gaps and help children learn…
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Ayesha Shaikh is a Mumbai-based Clinical Psychology student and Social Work Fellow at Brain Bristle, interested in inclusive pedagogy and neurodivergent student support. Working at Natvar Nagar Mumbai Public School (NNMP), she conceptualises Individualised Educational Programs (IEPs) to drive tailored academic and sensory-friendly learning.