Our Programmes Lead, Srinidhi Raghavan spoke at The School Inclusion Summit 2025, organised by Mumbai-based nonprofit Ummeed Child Development Centre, held on 27th June, 2025 over Zoom. She was a panelist, discussing ‘Reimagining Inclusion in School Education.’ She was joined by fellow panelists: Bhargavi Mainvannan, an educator; Parul Khumtha, Co-founder of Forum for Autism and a caregiver; and Thiraviyam Ganesam, Head Disabilities Programs at Fourth Wave Foundation. The panel was moderated by Joyeeta Sen, Senior Program Lead at Ummeed. In total, the day-long event was attended by over 160 people.
The panelists reflected on how schools continue to operate within rigid, standardised structures where the burden is placed on children with disabilities to adapt, rather than on institutions to transform.
Thiraviyam emphasised a major obstacle to implementing inclusive education effectively, which is the lack of unified, reliable data. Currently, statistics related to children with disabilities come from multiple and often contradictory sources, including the education department, the health and disability departments, census figures, and individual school data. Without consolidated data, it becomes nearly impossible to track the actual number of children with disabilities in schools, or to identify where resources and support are most needed.
Srinidhi spoke about the deeply ingrained fixation on standardised learning. While India has progressive laws around inclusive education, the implementation often misses the fundamental truth: each child requires and deserves individualised support, which was supported by Parul as well. She illustrated this through the story of a child with ADHD, who feels pressured to "show up" to the classroom, fearing being labelled as lazy. This reflects a system where attendance is valued over understanding, and performance over wellbeing.
When asked about how educators and teachers can get more involved as stakeholders, Bhargavi called for a transformation in teacher education. She stressed the need for reflective spaces where teachers can unpack their own biases and practice empathy. Rather than rigid to-do lists, she advocated for autonomy and contextual support, noting that they aren’t just implementers, they are core stakeholders who need agency and resources.
Srinidhi emphasised that disability is often taught to educators in a medical or technical way, rather than helping them understand the social and systemic nature of exclusion. She described an innovative approach from Rising Flame's work in Odisha, where disabled role models are introduced as part of teacher training, to both the students and the educators.
On the subject of collaboration between all stakeholders to make inclusive education a reality, Parul urged for including the child themselves in the collaboration. Regardless of age or disability, every child is an expert in their own needs. She called for schools and professionals to listen to children’s preferences, choices, and feedback, because inclusion is about enabling them to thrive as they are.
In response to being asked how we can give children a voice in schools, Srinidhi said to simply ask them, and that asking them has been really rewarding. She explained that for many children with disabilities, life follows a regimented path, with little room for agency. By giving children choices and respecting their decisions, we help build the muscle of autonomy. She said, “When children with disabilities learn to make small choices, they grow confident in making bigger ones later in life.”
Importantly, she emphasised the need for offering support when a child struggles to decide, instead of withdrawing the opportunity altogether.
At Rising Flame, we believe that inclusive education must begin with listening, really listening to disabled children and their communities. A simple act of recognition can be the first step toward a radically inclusive future.
You can watch the full panel, along with the full Day 1 of the School Inclusion Summit here.
