Chandigarh, March 18: Tata Power reaffirmed its commitment to advancing inclusive ecosystems for neurodiverse individuals through its Pay Autention initiative at the 3rd edition of the National Purple Fest, organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) at Amrit Udyan, Rashtrapati Bhavan. The day-long festival witnessed participation from over 8,000 persons with disabilities, bringing together organisations, institutions and communities working to strengthen inclusion and opportunities across India. The National Purple Fest celebrates the achievements and aspirations of persons with disabilities while bringing together stakeholders to advance awareness and inclusion. Tata Power has been supporting the initiative as a thought partner for Purple Fest and Purple Talks since their inception in Goa and has partnered with all three editions of the National Purple Fest.
Emerging as one of India’s leading national platforms for accessibility and inclusion, the day-long festival convened caregivers, educators, community organisations and corporate partners to advance dialogue, collaboration and access to support systems for persons with disabilities. As part of this collaboration, Tata Power’s Pay Autention initiative, focused on strengthening awareness, caregiver support and skill development for neurodiverse individuals, curated an interactive experiential zone that brought together learning resources, caregiver support tools and skill-building pathways for neurodiverse individuals, families and educators.
Visitors engaged with interactive learning and support activities, including demonstrations of the E-Sanidhya digital platform, which provides caregiver learning tools, therapy guidance and vocational training resources for neurodiverse individuals. Through guided walkthroughs, parents, caregivers and educators explored structured learning materials and support resources available on the platform, which has seen over 13,000 enrolments since its launch. The zone also facilitated course registrations for specialised programmes such as UI/UX skill development for neurodiverse youth, hosted a corner on brain nutrition and home care, and featured an art workshop led by neurodiverse artist Ms. Hiral Singhal.
A key highlight of the event was the Dance Movement and Yoga session co-hosted by Tata Power in collaboration with the Skill Council for Persons with Disability (ScPwD) and the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID). The session demonstrated how guided movement practices can support emotional wellbeing, coordination and self-expression among neurodiverse individuals, with active participation from children, caregivers and visitors. The initiative also featured a special performance presented before the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, showcasing the transformative potential of movement-based engagement in promoting confidence, creativity and inclusion.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Himal Tewari, CHRO, Chief Sustainability & CSR, Tata Power, said, ““At Tata Power, we believe inclusion must translate into meaningful opportunities for neurodiverse communities to learn, express themselves and participate fully in society. Our collaboration with the Government of India reflects a shared commitment to strengthening support ecosystems for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. One important outcome of this partnership is the E-Sanidhya platform, which brings together early screening, expert guidance and caregiver support in one place. Freely accessible to all, E-Sanidhya helps families access trusted information and resources as they seek the right guidance and mentorship for individuals on the autism spectrum.”
Smt Richa Shankar, Dy Director General, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, MSJE
said: “Building an inclusive ecosystem for persons with disabilities requires sustained collaboration between government, industry and community institutions. Partnerships with organisations like Tata Power play an important role in strengthening awareness, expanding access to support systems and enabling knowledge resources for neurodiverse individuals and their families. Initiatives such as the E-Sanidhya platform demonstrate how collaborative efforts can help bridge information gaps and empower caregivers and communities to better support persons with disabilities.”
Tata Power’s engagement at the National Purple Fest reflects its sustained commitment to advancing inclusive learning and support ecosystems for neurodiverse individuals and their families. Through initiatives such as Pay Autention and the E-Sanidhya platform, the company collaborates with government institutions, experts and community organisations to expand access to knowledge resources, caregiver guidance and skill-building opportunities. Supported by a network of over 20 nodal organisations and subject matter experts, the initiatives have collectively reached more than 30,000 individuals and families. In recent years, Tata Power has also hosted platforms such as the Maharashtra Neurodiversity Summit in Mumbai, the Odisha Neurodiversity Summit, and the East Zone Neurodiversity and Abilympics Meet in Jharkhand, along with several skill based competition for youth in collaboration with the National Abilympics Association of India (NAAI), bringing together caregivers, institutions and experts to strengthen awareness, collaboration and access to support services.
