Founder's Message

Our journey has often felt like that of a banyan tree—a single seed planted with care, growing steadily, and spreading into a vast network of roots and branches. This tree has provided shelter, strength, and support to so many, just as it has to us. From its roots, we’ve learned the values of resilience and collaboration. From its branches, we’ve seen the power of expansion and connection. Each phase of growth has been a step toward something larger, something meaningful. Snehadhara Foundation gets its name from Sneha, whose story is at the heart of everything we do. Sneha, a child whose presence taught us the true meaning of inclusion, inspired us to create spaces where every individual, no matter their needs, is valued and embraced. Her life was a call to action, and her legacy continues to guide us as we reimagine learning and community.

Snehadhara was born in 2012 out of this deeply personal call to action. It began as a refusal to accept that a child could be left without a place to learn, grow, and belong simply because their needs were different. What started as a small, heartfelt initiative in a modest home in Bangalore has grown into a global movement, rooted in inclusion and driven by the belief that every small act of generosity can create ripples of change.

The journey has been shaped by the collective imagination and generosity of the trustees who came together, not as individuals seeking answers, but as a group asking different questions: What does a compassionate world look like? How do we build it together? The ethos of paying it forward has driven this work, be it with Sarangan, who left his corporate career to dedicate himself fully to Snehadhara’s vision, or Sumathi, our joint Managing Trustee, whose spirit of giving transformed our dream into reality by offering the land where our semi-residential facility now stands. From this emerged a deeply personal question: What more can we give to the world? This question has been the foundation of our journey, shaping an organization that sees inclusion not as an outcome but as a way of being—woven into every program, every relationship, and every initiative.

In 2018, we took a path-breaking step by formalizing Arts Practices for Inclusion (API) through Prajnadhara, launching India’s first one-year certification program in this methodology. This initiative expanded our vision beyond the therapy room, embedding arts practices into communities, schools, and workplaces across the globe. API has since trained over 150 practitioners in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Argentina, creating a network of changemakers advancing inclusion and equity.

By 2024, the Sneha story had come full circle. The establishment of our semi-residential facility was not just a milestone but a manifestation of our commitment to creating a world where children and adults can thrive independently and with dignity. Today, through our three core programs—Direct Care, impART, and Prajnadhara—we have directly impacted over 10,500 children and adults, touched the lives of 75,000 individuals globally, and trained more than 3,000 professionals from 500 organizations across eight countries.

Our goal is to build an ecosystem of arts practitioners and establish a replicable model that trains individuals in assisted living. Through collaborations, we aim to share best practices, advocate for inclusion, and support organizations working in this space. At the same time, our training in assisted living addresses the critical question of “What after me?”—providing parents with a tangible answer when they see their children thrive within these systems. Additionally, we focus on promoting psychosocial well-being through the arts by integrating programs into institutions of learning, colleges, and corporates, engaging all stakeholders to march together toward a more inclusive future. Our efforts extend to driving policy-level systemic changes, ensuring that inclusion becomes not just a practice but a standard embedded into the fabric of society.

This journey demands courage, innovation, and relentless hope. It asks us to see the value in every small step, every shared resource, and every opportunity to create meaningful change. We believe that together, we can build an equitable society that reflects the true essence of inclusion. A society where the science of the arts becomes a transformative tool for change. A society where every voice matters, and every individual belongs.

Snehadhara is not just an organization; it is a family. A family that experiments, learns, and grows together. A family that dreams of a world where every child, every individual, has the opportunity to live with dignity, joy, and purpose. And a family that invites you to be a part of this journey.

With deep gratitude, we thank every parent, child, every employee and team member, supporter, well-wisher, donor, and even those who doubted us, for being part of our journey. Each of you has been our practice ground, shaping us into a work in progress, teaching us resilience, and inspiring us to do better every day.

As we move forward, our aspiration is to create a movement that sees the role each one of us has to play. Together, let us build a space for all, where the science of the arts leads us to an equitable and inclusive society.

With love, gratitude, and hope,

Gitanjali G Govindrajan and Sarangan Soundararajan
Founders, Snehadhara Foundation