Hyderabad, 10 November, 2025: Nayi Disha, India’s one of the leading non-profits supporting families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), proudly marks 10-years of building inclusive communities and empowering caregivers across the country. Started in 2015 as a Resource Centre in Hyderabad, Nayi Disha was started by Prachi Deo’s personal journey as a sister, and while caring for her brother with down syndrome, who witnessed firsthand challenges her family faced while raising a child with developmental disabilities.
Caregiver Changemaker Award 2025 recognised remarkable caregivers who have transformed their difficult journeys into powerful movements. Supported by Divis Foundation for Gifted Children (DFGC), the award celebrated the spirit of lived experience and reaffirmed the power of caregivers as catalysts of inclusion. This year’s winners, Akila Vaidyanatathan (Founder & Director, The Amaze Charitable Trust), Bijal Harkhani (Founder, Mantra Foundation) and Pooja Sharma (Founder & CEO, The Sarvodya Collective) are true examples of leadership and resilience in driving change across communities.
“Caregivers are the true changemakers, turning their struggles into strength and hope into action. Their courage reminds us that inclusion begins with love and persistence”, Dr. Pramod Gaddam, President, DFGC.
Speaking about Nayi Disha’s history, Founder and Executive Director, Prachi said, “Nayi Disha began from the lived realities of family caregivers searching for hope and guidance. Our journey over the past decade has shown us that caregiver voices can redefine systems, not just survive them. As we step into the next decade, our vision is to build a world where inclusion is not an exception, but an everyday reality and caregiver support systems are available to every family caregiver.”
Today Nayi Disha stands as a trusted ecosystem enabler, reaching lakhs of families through its digital knowledge platform, regional caregiver support networks, and strategic collaborations. The organisation provides credible, multilingual information, access to professionals, peer support, and capacity-building resources that help caregivers make informed decisions and champion inclusive practices.
Nayi Disha commemorated the 10th milestone with a landmark event that convened caregivers, sector leaders, partners, policy makers and inclusion advocates. The celebration honored the collective impact while spotlighting changemakers who are shaping the future of inclusion. The event was graced by the presence of G.V. Prasad, Co-Chairman & MD, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories as the Chief Guest and Manmeet Kaur Nanda, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment as the Guest of Honor.
Speaking at the event, G V Prasad said, “Women are the real strength of our caregiving ecosystem. Yet, caregiving must not remain an invisible, individual burden. It is time for funders, institutions, and communities to come together to build strong support systems that recognise, value, and empower caregivers.”
Manmeet Kaur added, “The future of inclusion lies in how we use technology, data and innovation to design accessible and scalable solutions for persons with disabilities. While the government is reimagining and reshaping the system that is built on dignity, access and empowerment with new initiatives and policies like Sugamya Bharat app, Disha Curriculum, real change will only happen when private and public sector, academia, research, non profits and communities join hands to co-create solutions rooted in accessibility and amplify voices of PWDs.”
The event also hosted a panel discussion on ‘Caregivers Are Change-Makers: Changing Lives; Changing Attitudes” with Tanmay Singh Pathani (Associate Director, Noora Health), V. Laxmikanth (Managing Partner, Pavestone Capital) and Triveni Goswami Vernal (Researcher, Special Educator, Caregiver). The discussion was moderated by Jo Chopra, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Latika Dehradun.
A special 10-year report was unveiled that chronicles ten years of Nayi Disha’s growth and resilience where knowledge and community empower families to transform challenges into hope.
Guided by the four core pillars, family-centric, neuro-affirming, evidence-based, and inclusive, Nayi Disha will continue to strengthen and advance inclusion to create lasting impact for families. The organisation aims to deepen its initiatives through collaborations with implementation partners, capacity building of caregivers, and scaling digital interventions to expand access to information and support.
