Pune, December 2025:
Avyan Idris Foundation, a Pune-based non-profit organisation dedicated to inclusion and early childhood development, successfully conducted an autism awareness and free early screening initiative during the Pune Kids Festival (Balotsav 2025) held at Sarasbaug, Pune, from 11th to 14th December 2025. The initiative was organised in partnership with PMC Care.

The outreach programme witnessed strong public engagement, especially during the final two days of the festival, which saw a large turnout of families. The initiative primarily focused on parents of children aged 2 to 3 years, a critical age window for identifying early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other Neuro-Developmental Delays (NDDs), enabling timely intervention and support.

At the Foundation’s stall, parents were engaged through structured one-on-one conversations. These interactions began with discussions on normal age-appropriate developmental milestones, gradually progressing toward an understanding of early developmental red flags. This step-by-step approach was designed to foster awareness and curiosity rather than anxiety, encouraging parents to actively participate and ask informed questions about their child’s development.

As part of the initiative, interested parents were introduced to a FREE online autism screening checklist, based on the M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers) framework — a globally recognised paediatric pre-screening tool used to identify early risk indicators associated with autism.

“Our goal is to help parents observe, understand, and act early — not to label children. When parents are guided with the right information in a supportive and non-judgemental environment, they feel empowered to take informed next steps for their child,” said Sudhanshu Kumar, CEO, Avyan Idris Foundation.

Avyan Idris Foundation’s participation at Balotsav 2025 aligns closely with national priorities outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, both of which emphasise early identification, inclusion, and the development of community-based support systems for children with developmental needs.

Building on the success of this initiative, Avyan Idris Foundation plans to continue similar public-space awareness and early screening programmes across Pune and other regions of Maharashtra, working in collaboration with parents, schools, healthcare professionals, and local governing bodies to promote early intervention and inclusive development.