A canvas of emotions in a special world

Neena Rao, elegant and decorated with a PhD, crisscrossed the world to understand human behaviour for nearly two decades, and one day she dropped her career to tackle her son’s Asperger’s Syndrome.

A coffee-table book she penned with help from those who suffer from autistic disorders has made many sit up and take notice, it is almost like recreating Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Pe on paper. The book has received praise from many, including Khan, considered among the most sensitive actors in India. And then, like icing on the cake, the most revered Dalai Lama penned a wonderful foreword for the book, titled Mindscapes. Writes the Dalai Lama: “All of us strive to avoid suffering and achieve happiness. However, we are not all born equal. Despite being part of our one human society, some of us are born differently-abled facing difficulties in the functioning of their brains and minds. We must take care of these people in a compassionate environment.”

The Dalai Lama would know. Researchers say autistic toddlers have a major problem; their brain activity appears to be out of sync at a very early stage. You need to study the biology of their conditions. If done properly, it could help in earlier diagnosis. But the billion-dollar question is: How many get to do such early diagnosis?

The pain starts from early stages, Rao makes it clear in her coffee-table book. She must have worked overtime, I was convinced that this was no hop-skip-and-jump book. It is aimed at sparking a rethink into access to work for people with autism. I remembered what the UK government recently said, the report quoted by Guardian: Employment rates for this group are particularly low with fewer than three in 10 in work. This is serious, it means the world does not care.

In pages after pages, Rao asks probing questions as to what more can be done to prepare autistic people for starting into a career or returning to a career, and what can be done at working practices or what initiatives should be taken to reduce stigma and improve the productivity of autistic employees. There’s Chiraboina Rakesh Kumar, who suffered from locomotor disability, but painted a lovely image of Corona. Almost immediately, I read a short poetry by Afroze Fatima: “When there was lack of colours,

I painted with my soul

When hindrances came before me

I fought back with courage bold

When there were no weapons to fight

I tackled the problems face on

When others used hands to be useful

I used my feet to amaze everyone!

I get this feeling that the world (including India) is changing towards those suffering from autism, the sense of helplessness that gripped many in the 70s and 80s, is no longer there. Now,  businesses, employment organisations and specialist support groups are pushing autistic children to help identify barriers to work. Perhaps the world has realised workplaces and businesses would benefit so much from the huge potential that autistic people represent.

Consider the case of Sam Vargese. He is autistic and partially verbal but still did a course in Digital Art & Animation and paints nature beautifully. Or Ashti Gupta, whose sketches of Mother Teresa reminded me of the work of a seasoned campaigner. Rao explains throughout the book how not having the tools to support autistic people causes multiple troubles. The world needs to understand the value of a neurodiverse workforce. The book is peppered with many such examples, all stories of hope.

I think a book like this will surely help many rethink how we approach autistic children, or autistic people and perhaps drive a wider rethink around how we accommodate everyone in our lives, as we all think differently with unique strengths, challenges and needs. Autistic people have a huge amount to offer, they need to be accommodated. After all, they have a variety of skills and different ways of thinking.

A serious read of this book will make many realise why autistic people must get the vital support they need. Rao explains through her book that autism has become more common among children, and it could stem from other factors, such as increased awareness and screening. Rao makes it amply clear that acceptance is winning half the battle.

A 2019 study by Neurology India says that more than two million people in India might be affected by the Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The question is what’s happening next to these kids, and are they getting services? Someone must think, there is an urgent need. And it is because the world is not very kind to them.