Welcome to Ahaan Foundation!
Ahaan Foundation, a registered trust since 2012, is committed to addressing children’s emotional and psychological well-being by providing them with opportunities for growth, development, and mental resilience. We empower children, individuals, families, and communities through structured programmes that focus on mental health awareness, early intervention, and capacity building. Our mission encompasses fostering children’s development, sensitizing communities to critical social issues, and driving positive change through collective action.
Our Initiatives
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts learning, communication, behavior, and social interaction. It is described as a “spectrum” because the symptoms and challenges can vary greatly in type and severity from one individual to another. Children and adults with ASD may experience difficulties in social interaction and communication, along with restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Early identification and timely intervention are critical to supporting optimal development, yet in many resource-limited settings, delays in detection often prevent children from receiving the essential support they need.
In order to bridge the gap in early identification and support for children with ASD, Ahaan Foundation initiated the ASD Early Detection Project in Goa and launched the ASD Intervention Centre in Ambernath (Thane, Maharashtra).
The program focused on empowering and capacity building of school teachers, and community workers with the skills to recognize early signs of autism and engage effectively with parents. By strengthening awareness and early intervention capabilities among secondary caregivers, our ultimate goal is to build inclusive classrooms and nurturing, supportive environments where children with ASD and their families can thrive.Objectives
- Spot Early Signs – Train pre-primary and primary school teachers & Anganwadi caregivers to recognize ASD indicators
- Refer Early – Connect children to professional health services through Ahaan Foundation
- Guide Parents – Equip educators with simple strategies to communicate effectively with parents
- Enable Intervention – Support timely action to improve children’s quality of life
- Raise Awareness – Promote knowledge of healthcare services available for children in their respective areas
ASD Early Detection Project
Location: Goa (North & South)
Programme: Sensitisation and Early Identification of Autism for Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers of Goa (2024–2026)
Between 2024 and 2026, Ahaan Foundation implemented a comprehensive programme with a focus on strengthening awareness, early recognition, and inclusive practices within school and community settings. This programme was done in collaboration with the District Early Intervention Centres of Goa (North and South), and through permission from the Goa SCERT.
Through a 2-day training, the programme aimed to equip educators and families with the knowledge and tools to identify early signs of developmental concerns and respond with informed, inclusive approaches. A key highlight was the introduction of the Chandigarh Autism Screening Instrument (CASI), an effective preliminary community screening tool designed to aid in the early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Report Release of the Programme & Felicitation:
The programme culminated in a Report Release Ceremony at the hands of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Shri. Dr Pramod Sawant, reflecting two years of collaborative efforts between government bodies, the health and education sectors, and a non-profit, and the impact created through this partnership. The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries including representatives from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), Goa SCERT, funding partner TEVA and other distinguished guests from the health and education sectors.
The ceremony also recognised and felicitated key stakeholders and Advocates for Inclusive Education who played a vital role in expanding the programme’s outreach and impact.
Dignitaries present:
- Dr. Pramod Sawant – Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa
- Dr. Gopal Pradhan – Coordinator and Associate Professor at SCERT
- Ms. Agnieszka Lubkowska – Site General Manager, Teva Pharmaceuticals.
- Mr. Prasad Shivalkar – Head, Corporate Affairs, TEVA
- Dr. Rajesh Dhume – Psychiatrist, and Principal In charge, State Institute of Health and Family Welfare (Family welfare, DHS)
Ahaan - ASD Intervention Centre
Location: Ambernath, Maharashtra
Programme: 2-Day ASD Sensitisation Training (2025-26)
Anganwadi Sevikas from Ambernath, representing both rural and semi-urban communities, actively participated in the 2-day ASD Sensitisation Programme. The group included workers with varying levels of experience – from newly appointed to those with decades of grassroots service – reflecting the diversity of the community they served. The training programme focussed on strengthening their ability to identify and respond to early signs of ASD in children aged 3-10 years.
Project: Ahaan ASD Early Intervention Centre
Date of Inauguration: 6th April 2026
Children with ASD may experience differences in communication, social interaction, behaviour, and sensory processing, which can impact development without early support.
At Ahaan – ASD Intervention Centre in Ambernath (Thane, Maharashtra), we support children with ASD and their families through early identification, evidence-based intervention, and community awareness. The early years are a critical window for development, where timely support can significantly improve long-term outcomes.
The Centre in Ambernath was inaugurated in the presence of Mrs. Nandini Awade (Member Secretary, Maharashtra State Commission for Women); representatives from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries – Dr. Chandrashekhar Sinha (Sr. Director, Site Head, Ambernath R&D) and Dr. Rama Sivasubramanian (Head of R&D); Mr. Vijay Taware Child Development Project Officer (CDPO, Ulhasnagar) and Dr. Fabian Almeida (Psychiatrist), .
In Ambernath, where access to specialised services is limited, we aim to make early intervention local, accessible, and consistent, reducing the need for families to travel long distances for care.
Our services include:
- Early screening and identification
- Individualised intervention (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Play Therapy)
- Parent counselling and support groups
Roundtable Conference on Inclusive Education: From Awareness to Implementation
Ahaan Foundation organised a Roundtable Conference on Inclusive Education: From Awareness to Implementation on 24th April 2026 in Thane. The roundtable brought together special educators, experienced mental health professionals, and parents of children with ASD to discuss practical challenges and share best practices to inclusive education.
Key insights and recommendations from the discussion are being compiled and will be shared with relevant government authorities to support system-level change.
Our Impact
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Ahaan Foundation’s initiative includes intensive, school-specific sessions for all faculty and support staff, and dedicated parent sessions to help build autism awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage timely support, encouraging the importance of inclusive spaces.
Feedback from Teachers
“It was the best session I attended. I have learned here that how to identify the autism students. Thank you for this beautiful session I love it. Thank you.”
“The session was informative and gave valuable insights into understanding and supporting students with ASD.”
“The session was very lively, well-conducted, and explained. It helped me learn so many things I was not aware of. Thank you, Ahaan Foundation!”
“I would like to have such training every six months, and the teachers who did not appear should also be given a chance.”
“The ASD training was really helpful. It helped me to understand autism better. All the trainers did well in providing information and helping us understand in a positive way.”
“The ASD training was really helpful. It helped me to understand autism better. All the trainers did well in providing information and helping us understand in a positive way.”
Testimonials
Our Team
Sonali Patankar
Founder & CEO
Sonali has conceptualised and founded Responsible Netism.
She has to her credit more than 25 years of professional experience with eminent organisations such as CRY - Child Rights and You, PCGT - Public Concern for Governance and Trust, IL&FS and Salaam Bombay Foundation.
She has been instrumental in hosting the Tobacco-Free Mumbai Campaign with the Mumbai Police in partnership with Salaam Bombay Foundation.
Unmesh Joshi
Co-Founder & COO
Unmesh is closely associated with Maharashtra Police and Cyber Lawyers in the Country. He is involved in doing a comparative study of Cyber Laws and Law Enforcement Agencies of various Countries and passionately talks about Legal Implications of irresponsible online behaviour.
Unmesh is a Social Entrepreneur, Philanthropist. He is the founder of ‘Anviksha Pratishthan’ and the Director of ‘Marathi Asmita Cultural Foundation’. He owns Bharatiya Vastra Shilpa – a leading Souvenir and Garment manufacturing company that has pioneered in the field of promoting Marathi Calligraphy Poetry and Marathi Culture on his souvenirs. He has several Young Entrepreneurs Awards to his credit and is also actively involved in reviving Theatre, Promoting Films and Events.
Utpal Madane
Executive Director - Operations and Infrastructure
Utpal provides design and printing expertise at Ahaan Foundation. Utpal Madane is a young entrepreneur who is mainly into offset printing business for the last 16 years. He has his business spread across Mumbai, Nashik and Jalgaon.
Utpal is a Versatile Entrepreneur who along with Printing, is also working with Prasad Pawar Foundation, Nashik who is working towards Digital Restoration of Ajintha Caves for last 10 years.
He is also a Director in Marathi Asmita Cultural Foundation, a Production House which is formed to promote Marathi Music and Literature across the globe.
Manjula Nair
Treasurer & Trustee
Manjula has been associated with Ahaan Foundation since its inception. She adds her expertise in content creation and in mental health services required during online distress, and the promoter of Digital Literacy at Responsible Netism.
Manjula is the Secretary of Bharatiya Stree Shakti (BSS), Mumbai. She is also a member of the National Executive Council of BSS. She has around two decades of experience in the areas of family counselling, life skills training and teaching. She has worked extensively with women and adolescents and has also taught Science, Mathematics and Geography at some of the top schools in Mumbai.
Dr Mukul Joshi
Executive Director - HR and OD
With more than 22 years of work experience, Mukul has extensively partnered with CEOs and senior executives, project and cross functional teams and systems (small, medium and large scale organisations) to facilitate complex business transformation and change. His areas of expertise include transformation and change management, strengthening organisation effectiveness through diagnosing organisational performance issues (structure, competency, talent) - designing and implementing large-scale transformational journeys, talent strategies, as well as senior team and leadership development and coaching.
Mukul’s industry experience includes IT and Services, Semiconductor, Infrastructure, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Non-Profit Organizations and education.
Shilpa Chandolikar
Executive Director - Brand and Communications
Shilpa is a Commercial Artist with over 19 years of experience in the field of Graphic Designing. She has been a brand custodian to an esteemed multinational organisation in the Marketing Communications function for the past 15 years.
Shilpa is a Trustee of Ahaan Foundation since its inception, and contributes towards brand building and amplification of the project, Responsible Netism.
Sumeet Rathod
Trustee
Sumeet, a young tech-savvy Cyber Security Expert, has been one of the founding members of Responsible Netism. His expertise in the field of Cyber Security and Cyber Forensics is a great value addition to the project Responsible Netism. He has developed a software and application called MOBICID to monitor and improve online behaviour of children and adults.
Sumeet is a Computer Science Graduate with over 16 years of experience in the IT Industry. He specialises in the field of Social Networking sites and is the Co-fFounder Laibhaari.com (a Marathi Facebook look-alike). He has worked with the Anti-Terrorist Squad and SID for Security Application and continues to assist the Cyber Cell.
Swapnil Pange
Head Counselling Services
Swapnil is an experienced clinical psychologist with over 15 years of dedicated work in the mental health field. He leads the counselling services at Ahaan Foundation in Mumbai, where he plays a key role in developing and expanding community mental health initiatives. Driven by a clear and compassionate vision, Swapnil is committed to making comprehensive and accessible mental health support available to communities in need.
Rhythm Agrawal
Counsellor
Rhythm holds a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and is working as a Counsellor with the Autism Spectrum Disorder Project in Ambernath, Thane. She partners with educators and caregivers to support early detection and provide psychosocial interventions, fostering compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming spaces where every child can thrive.
Sharlene Fernandes
Counsellor
With an MSc in Clinical Psychology, Sharlene works as a Counsellor for the ASD Sensitization Programme in Ambernath, Thane. Passionate about neurodiversity, she believes in moving beyond labels to create a more inclusive, compassionate world that celebrates differences and nurtures each individual’s unique strengths.
Nivedita Borkakoty
Project Coordinator
Nivedita is a psychologist specialising in the areas of neurodiversity, inclusion and mental health awareness, with experience in training, counselling and community-based support. At Ahaan Foundation, she contributes as the project coordinator for the ASD Early Identification Programme in Goa. Her work focuses on building supportive, empathetic, and accessible spaces for individuals and families.
Shivani Raikar
Counsellor
Shivani, a Clinical Psychology postgrad, working as a Counsellor with the Autism Spectrum Disorder project at Ahaan Foundation in the Goa region. She works closely with schools, families, and communities to conduct awareness sessions, provide counselling, and facilitate early identification and intervention for children with autism, dedicated to fostering safe and inclusive environments that support their development.
Aparna Sawant
Admin Executive
Aparna is a Commerce graduate with over 7 years of experience. For the past four years, she has been working as an Accountant and Admin Executive with Ahaan Foundation. Aparna’s dedication and attention to detail contribute significantly to the Foundation’s backend efficiency and compliances.
Looking Ahead
Our Initiatives
Responsible Netism: A flagship project committed to safeguarding netizens in cyber space.
CYBER WELLNESS HELPLINE
Responsible Netism is a social purpose initiative committed to the cause of women and child online protection and cyber wellness.
Project Responsible Netism was established by Ahaan Foundation in 2012, with the primary objective of protecting the safety rights of children and women in cyberspace. Through our movement, we advocate for cyber wellness, raise awareness, educate individuals about digital safety, and promote responsible online behaviour. Our efforts have been initiated in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
We have successfully educated over 1.8 million children and more than 1 million adults through our educational and training programmes.
Ahaan Foundation Contact Details:
Contact our Project Coordinator:
Panaji, Goa
ASD Early Detection Project, C/o Cyber Wellness Centre – P8, 4th Floor, Silvio Heights, St.Inez Road, Panaji, Goa
coordinatorasd@ahaanfoundation.org | +91 86553 41491
Ambernath (Thane, Maharashtra)
ASD Intervention Center, C/o Ahaan Foundation, Flat No. 201, Neeraj Co-Op Society, Above Bank of Baroda, Bhaji Prabhu Deshpande Road, Vadavali Section, Ambernath (E) – 421501
ambasdcounsellor1@ahaanfoundation.org | +91 7710899089
Join us in creating a safe, inclusive, and mindful digital space for netizens.
Reach out to Responsible Netism's
CYBER WELLNESS HELPLINE FOR FREE:
Ahaan Foundation Head Office
Responsible Netism
Vinayak Blessings CHS., Office No. 104, First
Floor, V.B. Phadake Road, Above Bank of
Baroda, 90 Feet Road, Mulund East, Mumbai,
Maharashtra 400081
Call :+918433701077
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
Cyber Wellness Centres
Cyber Wellness Centre (Goa)
Silvio Heights, 4th Floor - P8, St. Inez, Panaji,
Goa 403001
Call:+919665377797
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
Cyber Wellness Centre (Pune)
CCW Pune, Saphire Cabin, 1st Floor, Opp.
Circuit House Hotel, Balewadi High Street,
Baner, Pune, Maharashtra 411045
Cyber Wellness Helpline:+917353107353
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
Cyber Support Centre (Jaipur)
Commissionerate of Police, MI Road, Sardar Patel
Marg, Adjacent to BSNL Head Office, Ashok Nagar,
Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001
Cyber Wellness Helpline:+917353107353
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
Cyber Wellness Centre (Parel)
Brihanmumbai Mahanagar Palika (B.M.C) Savitribai
Phule Stree Sansadha Kendra, Rajgruh Society, 2nd
Floor, Balashet Madurkar Marg, Prabhadevi (W),
Mumbai, Maharahstra 400013
Cyber Wellness Helpline:+917353107353
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
Cyber Wellness Centre (BKC, Mumbai)
Maharashtra State Commission for Woman
Gruhnirman Bhavan, Mezanin Floor, Gandhi
Nagar, Bandra (E), Mumbai, Maharashtra,
400051
Call:(022)26592707
Email: mscwmahilaayog@gmail.com
Cyber Wellness Helpline:+917353107353
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
Cyber Support Centre (Thane)
Cyber Police Station - Thane City, Kharkar
Alley, Thane West, Thane, Maharashtra 400601
Cyber Wellness Helpline:+917353107353
Email: info@responsiblenetism.org
ASD Project
Panaji, Goa
ASD Early Detection Project, C/o Cyber Wellness Centre – P8, 4th Floor, Silvio Heights, St.Inez Road, Panaji, Goa
coordinatorasd@ahaanfoundation.org
+91 86553 41491
Ambernath (Thane, Maharashtra)
ASD Intervention Center, C/o Ahaan Foundation, Flat No. 201, Neeraj Co-Op Society, Above Bank of Baroda, Bhaji Prabhu Deshpande Road, Vadavali Section, Ambernath (E) – 421501
ambasdcounsellor1@ahaanfoundation.org
+91 7710899089