New Delhi, July 8 -- IIT Madras hosted Neurodiversity Summit 2026 recently on the campus, which brought together in one platform the researchers, NGOs, industry leaders, policymakers and community stakeholders. The aim was to develop a collaborative roadmap for creating an inclusive ecosystem that empowers neurodivergent individuals through research, innovation and community partnerships.
The summit had the theme of 'Research, Innovation and Community for Inclusive Futures'. It marked an important step towards building scalable, technology-enabled and community-driven solutions that address the lifelong needs of neurodivergent individuals across learning, employment and independent living.
Establishing a Centre of Excellence for Neurodiversity at IIT Madras was a focus of the summit. The proposed Centre will drive research and innovation in digital assessment tools, personalised assistive technologies, adaptive vocational solutions and capacity building, while serving as a hub for collaborative research, technology translation and community engagement.
Organised by IIT Madras faculty members in collaboration with the Institute's ACR Office, the summit showcased a multidisciplinary approach, with experts from Management Studies, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Biotechnology, Humanities and other disciplines working alongside leading NGOs and civil society.
"I have five priority areas for this Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence, starting with neurodiversity for which we need early identification. The technology development has to be a priority. We need employment pathways that move beyond tokenism. We should identify specific employment opportunities for people with disabilities," said Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.