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States » SouthPosted at: Mar 17 2025 6:49PM


Merry Barua gets Autism Award, CS to present award on Mar 23

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 17 (UNI) Ms Merry Barua, a trailblazing force in autism advocacy and support, will be bestowed Lifetime Contribution to Autism Award by Centre for Autism and other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education (CADRRE) in recognition of her inspirational work.
The second edition of the award will be presented to her by Ms Sarada Muraleedharan, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Kerala, as part of the CADRRE Autism Awareness events at Lulu Mall in the city on March 23.
The award was instituted by CADRRE in 2024 to recognise individuals and institutions who have positively impacted and contributed to individuals with autism and their families and breaking down the stigmas surrounding this neuro-developmental condition.
“The award is being awarded to Ms Merry Barua for her unwavering commitment to autism advocacy over more than three decades that has transformed the landscape of autism awareness, education and policy in India,” according to Thiruvananthapuram-based CADRRE.
As the founder of Action for Autism, India’s first autism-focused organisation, in 1991, Ms Barua has pioneered services for autism across the lifespan, including assessments, early intervention, education, employment opportunities and assisted living.
This she has done through initiatives such as the Aakaar early intervention programme, the Open Door day school programme, the Parent Child Training Programme, the Work Behaviours Training programme, the Aadhaar Vocational Centre, and the Ananda assisted living home.
Her relentless advocacy efforts were instrumental in the formal inclusion of autism in the National Trust Bill, 1999 and The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016.
Ms Barua, herself a mother of an autistic son, has been instrumental in introducing essential support services and laying the foundation for autism acceptance and understanding in communities nationwide through her innovative programmes and workshops.
A recipient of Ashoka Fellowship, she has championed systemic support for the quality of life for not only autistic children but also for parents and educators, equipping them with the knowledge and resources to foster inclusive environments.
Autism is a neuro-developmental condition of variable severity, characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication and restrictive or repetitive patterns of behavior, signs of which begin during early childhood and usually last throughout an individual’s lifespan.
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Tags: #Merry Barua gets Autism Award# CS to present award on Mar 23
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