Sept 2025 | 1587 words | 6-minute read
Jaise-jaise hamari beti badi hui, ek autistic bachche ke roop mein uski chunautiyan bhi badalti rahin. Humein samajh nahi aa raha tha ki samadhan kahan dhoondein. Hum ek aisi sanstha dhoondh rahe the jahan humein saara margdarshan aur disha milti rahe. (Our daughter is growing up. New challenges are arising. Our goal was to find an institution that could offer us complete guidance and direction),” says Satyaprakash Garv.
This quest brought Mr Garv and his wife to the Thiruvananthapuram Autism Spectrum Care Centre where they enrolled their six-year-old daughter, Samiksha — who was diagnosed with moderate autism at the age of two — for Pay Autention Network’s shadow learning programme.
At the centre, which has partnered with Tata Power’s Pay Autention programme, he witnessed the innovative methods adopted by the special educators while interacting with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This approach, envisioned by Pay Autention, has not only transformed the lives of families, such as the Garvs, by equipping them with essential skills and knowledge, but has also instilled in them a sense of reassurance and optimism towards their children’s future. The programme’s latest offering, E-Sanidhya, a digital platform for neurodiversity support, curated along with the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), and Tata Elxsi, has been especially helpful.
A movement takes shape
A 2021 study in the Indian Journal of Paediatrics said that 1 in 68 children in India is affected by autism. Yet, the country lacks a support ecosystem for neurodiversity care. For countless parents and caregivers, the struggle to find essential resources, information and professional care remains a harsh reality, especially for those in rural and underserved areas.
Pay Autention was born out of this need to shape a nationwide ecosystem of support. Launched in partnership with the Center for Autism and other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education in 2022, it was inspired by the bridgital approach advocated by N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, and Roopa Purushothaman, Chief Economist and Head of Policy Advocacy and CSR, Tata Sons, in their book Bridgital Nation: Solving Technology’s People Problem.
Rooted in Tata Power’s philosophy of Antyodaya (serving the last in line as part of the Tata Affirmative Action philosophy), which is to uplift the most marginalised individuals, Pay Autention is India’s first phygital (physical + digital) autism support network. The digital support is provided through E-Sanidhya, its online portal, which seeks to unite different stakeholders — parents, caregivers, Anganwadi workers, teachers, therapists, social enterprises and government ministries — by providing access to essential resources on home care and specialised video consultations for early detection and referrals for further care.
“Disability-care is one of the most fragmented spaces,” says Foram Nagori, CSR Head, Tata Power. “The genesis of Pay Autention can be traced back to Tata Power’s own neighbourhood. The vision was to become a collective space, a platform, which would bring together several experts, thought leaders, practitioners, and people who need these services. The programme was built on a hybrid model, blending physical and digital formats to maximise accessibility across diverse geographies.”
Shattering stigma
Pay Autention kicked off Phase 1 in April 2022 with a powerful mission — promoting awareness about neurodiversity, bridging divides between the worlds of the neurodiverse and neurotypical and breaking down the stigma surrounding it. Anganwadi workers, NGOs, social workers, parent groups and public health centre workers were trained to identify the early signs of neurodiverse conditions, and introduced to a toll-free helpline (1800 2099 488). “We trained Anganwadi teachers to create awareness about autism,” says special educator Sushma Joshi, from the Pay Autention experts network. “We have been able to significantly increase propensity identification and referrals in Maharashtra via E-Sanidhya synergies.”
In 2023, Pay Autention launched the All-India Neurodiversity Support Directory on their website. This is a free resource directory of all organisations providing neurodiversity support services across India. Through the 1,000 Champions for Autism programme, corporate volunteers across India completed a 40-hour interactive module to become autism awareness champions in their communities. Tata Power also organised a dance and music therapy workshop and an inclusive funfair in Navi Mumbai in collaboration with NIEPID.
This was complemented by a range of open-access resources and free tutorials for home-based care covering Dance Movement Yoga, nutrition, play therapy, and more, developed through 30+ consultations. These efforts aim to empower parents, volunteers, para-professionals, and grassroots workers to engage, raise awareness, and facilitate early referrals in areas lacking specialist support.
Bridgital at heart
In December 2024, Pay Autention unveiled E-Sanidhya, its transformative digital platform. The portal works on a bridgital inclusivity model, where digital technology is integrated with human expertise to build scalable, high-impact solutions.
Rooted in Tata Power’s philosophy of Antyodaya (serving the last in line as part of the Tata Affirmative Action philosophy), which is to uplift the most marginalised individuals, Pay Autention is India’s first phygital (physical + digital) autism support network.
From diagnostic support to home care solutions, E-Sanidhya equips caregivers and educators with practical tools and offers them expert guidance and resources to support neurodiverse children. It has scaled into a phygital ecosystem for early care, combining digital solutions with offline interventions.
“E-Sanidhya perfectly aligns with the foundational vision of Pay Autention — to build a scalable and sustainable support system for neurodiverse individuals,” says Himal Tewari, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief - Sustainability and CSR, Tata Power. “Our Chairman has often emphasised the power of creating large-scale impact through a phygital approach; that’s where the idea was born. We knew from the beginning that real change would require institutional collaboration, especially with the government, as that’s where the first multiplier effect could emerge. What makes this initiative truly powerful is its collaborative DNA — from the onset, we weren’t just participants; we were anchoring the movement.”
Since April 2025, E-Sanidhya has been managed by NIEPID, which is actively scaling its impact through strategic collaborations with key institutions such as the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), Asha Schools under the Indian Army, National Abilympics Association of India and others. The partnership with Tata Elxsi goes beyond technical contributions, marking a significant milestone in the form of an open-access solution co-curated with the government, making this a one-of-its-kind model.
An unstoppable force
Today, Pay Autention’s ecosystem includes government bodies, NGOs, and Tata companies, ensuring its sustainability and scalability. “Inclusivity flourishes when key influencers, sectors, and experts come together with a shared purpose to strengthen social welfare systems,” says Major BV Ram Kumar, Director, NIEPID. “Our partnership with the Tata Power Community Development Trust exemplifies how progressive public-private collaborations can drive meaningful change and create scalable platforms for neurodiverse individuals, their caregivers, and communities, contributing to a more equitable and compassionate society.”
Pay Autention is our signature programme; a celebration of uniqueness and a catalyst for inclusion - Himal Tewari, CHRO and Chief - Sustainability and CSR, Tata Power
By training 2,700+ public workers and conducting 49+ awareness sessions across India, Pay Autention is making inclusivity a reality. It has reached over 18,000 families and caregivers in Maharashtra, the National Capital Region (NCR), Odisha, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
The programme is also breaking barriers with its engagement strategies. From tech expos and street plays to awareness drives across states, Pay Autention is reaching the most underserved. Its impact goes further, through immersive workshops conducted in collaboration with Indian Hotels Company Limited, Tata Steel Foundation, Tata AutoComp, and TCS Digital Impact Square enterprises, as well as intensive Train the Trainer programmes for caregivers and regional parent groups. Volunteering efforts across 12+ Tata companies and large-scale platforms like the National Purple Fest are helping bridge gaps in the system.
Movement therapy
At National Purple Fest 2025, Tata Power announced its plan to co-create a short, hybrid foundational course in Dance-Movement-Yoga therapies with Skill Council of PwDs. Movement-based therapies enhance motor skills, improve attention, help regulate emotions, and foster social connections among the neurodiverse. “Inherently, dancing has strong therapeutic benefits,” says Devika Mehta, a dance movement therapist and Pay Autention network expert. “When we are dancing in a community, we start connecting with people. The goal is to reach spaces I can’t reach and to take it from a therapy room to a community set-up where people just come and dance together.”
Opening doors
Under Pay Autention 2.0, Tata Power is focused on enabling independent living for neurodiverse individuals through life skills training and real-world exposure. This includes developing tailored courses in UX, UI, and web design via platforms like Atypical Advantage, alongside partnerships with service aggregators offering flexible, hybrid opportunities.
This transformative journey, driven by innovation and compassion, has sparked a collective movement that is reshaping perceptions of neurodiversity. “Pay Autention is our signature programme; a celebration of uniqueness and a catalyst for inclusion,” says Mr Tewari. “It encourages lived experiences that help society and institutions truly connect the dots. It’s a direction rooted in hope — one that unites efforts for the greater good, especially for the neurodiverse community and their caregivers.”
- Sharmistha Choudhury
