Community home away from home

WHEN his two-year son was diagnosed with autism, Pradeep Jeyathilak was fretful like any father, but not overtly distraught.

- RAJALAKSHMI SAMPATH

The 54-yearold, who worked with Unilever as a tea taster in the United Kingdom, knew he had to do something to help build an independent future for him and other autistic kids. He returned to India in 2019.

Initially, Pradeep's son used to live with the family. But, when he turned 15, he was sent to a residential autism centre in Hyderabad.

"When he reached adolescence, my son started harming himself," Pradeep recalls, stressing the urgency for a solution closer to home.

In 2020, the Vellore native came up with the Autism Residential Community (ARC), a residential set-up designed for autistic adults to live in harmony with nature, with a routine and a structured programme of engagement solely for autistic individuals a first of its kind initiative located in Anaicut.

Autism is characterised by challenges in social skills and communication, though it comes with its unique strengths. Supporting individuals with autism, particularly as they transition into adulthood, becomes crucial. "I started to think about who would take care of my son after my wife and I are gone. That concern extended to all autistic adults," says Pradeep.