A Quick Overview
Aditi Sowmyanarayan is an award-winning author who enjoys spinning engaging, thought-provoking tales. Her work is intensive, requiring extensive research for her novel writing, alongside content writing commitments. She dreams of becoming a bestselling author and is currently focused on her passion project, the novel “Feet on the Ground, Head in the Air”.
Education and Inclusion
Aditi's early formal schooling was a "disaster of massive proportions". However, she found a sense of belonging and learned with appropriate accommodations at a small inclusive Montessori. Ishanya India Foundation was a major catalyst, where she found her voice using the communication app Avaz.
She emphasizes that meaningful inclusion requires a mindset change and necessary modifications to physical environments, teaching methods, and assessments, with the goal being accommodation, not trying to make autistics more "normal".
Communication and Technology
Aditi communicates using Avaz, a text-to-speech app, by typing what she wants to say. This technology has been the biggest game changer, helping her find her voice and opening up opportunities. She asks that people recognize that typing takes significantly longer and should avoid rushing to finish her statements.
Aditi stresses the importance of presuming competence. She counters the myth that introducing AAC takes away the initiative to talk; instead, AAC is a "life-saver" because verbal speech is unreliable for many autistics who cannot speak. She had "unpleasant experiences" with early therapy that wrongly assumed her non-speaking status was due to a lack of understanding or willingness.
Advocacy and Identity
Aditi defines independence as the autonomy achieved and enjoyed within the societal system built on interdependence. She views neurodiversity as simply a part of human diversity, asserting that "different is just that—different, and not less".
Her advocacy work began around early 2022 after realizing how little was known about the perspectives of non-speaking autistics, following the success of the anthology “Talking Fingers”.
She seeks to challenge pervasive myths, including that:
- Vaccines or paracetamol cause autism.
- Autism is a public health emergency (she attributes increased numbers to better diagnostic criteria).
- The majority of autistics are "exceptional" at specific skills (most function at an average level).
- Speech and communication are the same things.
Her writing, which began with blogging at age sixteen after finding typing comfortable, benefits from her autism, which gives her the ability to "observe very keenly and understand what is untold". Although she finds emotional regulation challenging, feeling emotions intensely, being able to communicate through AAC helps her manage by allowing her to get "pent up emotions out".
Introduction
Please introduce yourself as you’d like to be known. For example, what would you like us to say when we talk about you to our readers?
Hi. I am Aditi Sowmyanarayan, the award winning author who enjoys spinning tales that engage, enthral and leave you with food for thought.
What do you do? Can you give a glimpse into how your regular day looks like?
So, being a writer is a lot of hard work, and it’s nothing like the cosy corner in a quaint cafe on a rainy day vibe that it’s made out to be! I begin my day with a morning walk. Post breakfast, I write. Now this can be for the content writing engagements that I have committed to; and this is the easier part of what I do; or it can be working on my novel, which is the fun part of what I do, because I take pride in the fact that I do extensive research to get the backdrop and culture right, which is key to making the tale truly engaging. Post lunch, there are classes and evenings are for chilling and just being- be that with music or an audiobook or some K drama or a movie on OTT.
What brings you joy in everyday life? What are your hobbies or passions?
To give my best to everything that I choose to do, and occasionally challenge my boundaries- this is what gives me joy. I love to read, travel and listen to music.
What dreams or future projects are you passionate about?
At this point, the novel that I am working on- Feet on the Ground, Head in the Air, is my passion project. I dream of becoming a bestselling author some day.
Inclusion and your experience of it
Have you ever been to school? Or any educational center? Was the experience inclusive?
I have been to four schools before I joined Ishanya India Foundation, when I was fourteen, and was introduced to technology. The first one was a small preschool that helped me get used to staying away from home. The second one was a mainstream formal school, which was a disaster of massive proportions, me being so ‘different’ and all…. The third was a small inclusive montessori which had just 50 students with 2–3 who had ‘differential needs’. This was the first school where I became truly comfortable, found a sense of belonging and learnt – with the right accommodations. I eventually did the primary program in a small learning centre started by the directress of the inclusive montessori.
This was around the time iPad came to India, and given my sensory challenges with writing, a lot of academic learning happened on the iPad and that really worked well for me. I was adept at using the iPad by the time I went to Ishanya. Ishanya was the biggest catalyst in my story – the centre that helped me find my voice in Avaz and my true calling. As much as I wish this was not the case – I believe that mainstream schools in India do not have the readiness to accommodate a non speaker in the classroom.
What do you think about autistic children going to mainstream schools? Do the schools give the space, time and resources they require?
I really think it depends on the profile of the student and how much support the school is willing to offer. Most autistics with ‘mild’ differences do well in mainstream schools, when provided with appropriate accommodations and support. There is one thing I wonder though – our understanding of the autism spectrum, and the diagnostic standards have significantly changed over the last decade. Many of the students who are diagnosed with ASD now are the kind that have always been a part of mainstream schools, but without any diagnostic label. Is this diagnostic label used as a reason to ask the child to leave the school?
How does the school environment influence the way autistic children see themselves and their strengths?
School plays a significant role in the way we perceive ourselves. An environment that focuses on building on our strengths, helps us grow into self confident adults.
Do you think schools can ever become inclusive? What are some of the successful steps you have seen schools and educational institutions take, towards inclusion?
Inclusion is not a rocket science, but a mindset thing; and it can never be one size fits all! Meaningful inclusion can be achieved by making modifications to the physical environment, accommodating for sensory differences, and adapting the materials, method of teaching and methods of assessment. The key to making any program, including classroom inclusion meaningful begins with acknowledging the need to accommodate, and not make us more ‘normal’.
You participate in public life quite actively. How is your day to day experience of inclusion?
I have always enjoyed going out, and travelling, even in my childhood, and growing up, I went to school, learning centres and environments outside of home. I was never homeschooled; and I think that has really helped. That said, I am someone with intense social anxiety, and the skill to be out there, present my perspective and interact has come with practice and support in the form of CBT sessions. I ask for the accommodations that I require; and that surely helps!
These days, parents, therapists and neurodiverse people are coming together and talking about inclusive communities. What do these mean to you? How can a community be truly inclusive? Have you seen anything that works?
The term ‘community’ in itself refers to a diverse group of people who have probably come together to achieve a common purpose. The existence of the term ‘inclusion’ in the context of something as diverse as humanity is a dichotomy that perplexes me! From that perspective, ‘inclusive communities’ is the default way to be, for we autistics have as much right to participate, and be out and about as anyone else! I am yet to experience any specific ‘Inclusive Community’ though.
Ideas of independence
What is independence according to you? What different levels or kinds of independence have you seen?
For me, independence is the autonomy that we achieve and enjoy within the societal system that is built on interdependence. I do enjoy financial independence, and the independence to speak my mind, among other things.
Many parents say that all they want is for their neurodiverse child to be independent. What does independence look like in the real life of an adult autistic?
‘Independence’ is probably the default goal that a parent has for any child, but with us neurodivergent, it becomes more pronounced. A typical day in our lives is a mix of doing things independently, and depending on others to get a few things done, depending on the support needs of the individual.
How can parents and therapists help in building this independence from a young age? Have you seen any structured approaches or programs that help?
I think with us autistics, the key is to choose the battles wisely and find the balance between gently pushing our boundaries and accommodating for our challenges. Would you want a child to eat balanced meals, wear clothes that are weather appropriate, use the washroom, brush their teeth, comb their hair and cut their nails? Certainly! And hence, those should be priority goals. Being aware of a child’s support needs helps plan the other goals.
Communication
How and when did you start using alternative communication? Could it have happened earlier? What prompted/prevented you from accessing it?
Just a bit of background, I am told that I picked up the skill to read and comprehend pretty early on during childhood. When I was six maybe, I was taught to spell responses to questions asked using the letters that come in a scrabble pack. So if you asked me what my favourite fruit was, I would pick m a n g and o from the pack and sequence them to spell ‘mango’. I was introduced to academic concept learning on the iPad when I was seven. By the time I was introduced to typing on the keyboard mode in Avaz, I was pretty adept at using the iPad. I was introduced to Avaz in the app format not too long after it came in that format.
Can you give more details about how you communicate? How has it changed your world?
I use a text to speech called Avaz to talk. I type what I want to say and the app speaks it out. Avaz has helped me find my voice and has helped the people around me understand me better. It has opened up opportunities for me to pursue my passion.
Are there ways others could adjust their communication to make interactions feel more respectful and accessible for you?
I think the basic understanding that I want people to have is that it takes much longer to type than to talk, especially for those like me who use only the index fingers to type. Factors like social anxiety make the process slower. Please factor this in while interacting with us and please don’t rush to finish our statements.
What are some things you wish interviewers and educators knew about communicating with non-speaking autistic people?
One of the basic things to remember is when you have met a non speaker, you have just met one! What works for me may not work for another. Our strengths and challenges are different, but what always works is to presume competence.
Parents of young children hesitate to provide alternative communication, hoping speech will emerge. What would you tell them?
Autism is essentially a social and communication disorder. Put simply, many of us autistics don’t speak because we can’t, and not because we don’t want to. This certainly does NOT mean that we have nothing to say. For some other autistics, verbal speech is not reliable, especially in situations where it is needed the most. AAC then becomes a life-saver. It’s a mere MYTH that introducing AAC will take away the initiative to talk. If any, it will give the understanding that one can be understood only when one communicates. But the expectation that AAC helps speech generation is UNREALISTIC and it may not happen.
Have you had any experience with speech and communication therapy? Do you think they work? How?
I have had unpleasant experience with speech therapy. The first one I went to assumed I wasn’t talking because I didn’t understand much. The ABA therapist I went to subsequently declared that I wasn’t talking inspite of being ‘intelligent’ because I wasn’t even interested in trying. Both were wrong. I was first introduced to pictures as a mode of communication at ComDEALL.
Relationships
It is often said that autistics find it difficult to build and keep relationships. Do you think that is true? What has your experience been?
Well, for me that is not true. That’s probably because I observe more and ‘get social cues.’ But I know a few autistics who struggle to build bonds, especially with neurotypicals. They are often misunderstood and they misunderstand the other person.
What can help a young autistic learn to build relationships? How can parents and therapists help them?
I believe in meeting in the middle for most things. It helps to be aware of why the autistic is doing what they are doing; and it helps to make the autistic person aware of the other perspective.
Who are some people with whom you connect? How do you spend time with them?
Thanks to my writing and advocacy work, I get an opportunity to interact with a lot of different people, both neurotypical and neurodivergent; and I enjoy that part of my work. I enjoy interacting with two of my educators- Shaheli Mukherjee ma’am, and Varsha Ramdas ma’am, who were very instrumental in helping me find my calling. I can speak to them about pretty much anything under the sun. I am on multiple WhatsApp groups for neurodivergent, and I enjoy interacting with other members of these groups.
Neurodiversity
What does neurodiversity mean to you personally, and how do you see yourself in the larger neurodiverse paradigm?
Neurodiversity, to me, is just a part of human diversity. We are different in the way we experience the world and ourselves in relation to the world. In my case, I am also different in the way I interact and communicate. But different is just that – different, and not less!
Can institutions like schools and offices truly embrace neurodiversity? What are the barriers you have seen? How to go about overcoming them?
The way I see it, yes, it is definitely possible. The key is to understand that everyone, including us autistics, bring our own set of strengths to the table. Identifying our strengths and building on it helps us to learn and work better, and makes a good business case to accommodate for our differences.
Do you think many parents of autistics buy into the neurodiverse paradigm? How can this be changed?
I believe that the journey of parents of neurodivergent children is not an easy one and is filled with very specific nuances and challenges. Autism, in itself, a very wide spectrum, which is both a unique way of experiencing the world and a real disability; one that can make some seemingly easy thing also challenging to do, and this limitation has nothing to do with social systems. The influx of jargons that contribute zilch to solving for our challenges, makes the journey even more difficult for parents of young children. What worked for me is that my parents understood me really well, and helped me build on my strengths, while solving for my challenges.
Have you seen people or places that have put neurodiversity in practice? Can you describe them?
One of the earliest examples I can think of is the Montessori I went to when I was five. The Montessori program is very structured, and that helped; so did the inherent quiet spaces in the environment. Given my sensory and learning profile, modifications were required in the way the program was delivered, and this was something that was implemented. Neurodivergent friendly spaces is not a rocket science, and is something that can be achieved with simple tweaks.
If there is a set of people coming together to build a neurodiverse space, what would you tell them to focus on?
I would say build a space where everyone, including those of us who are neurodivergent are welcome.
Books / Writing
When did you first start writing? What inspired your journey into blogging and storytelling?
I have always enjoyed observing people and spinning colourful tales in my head. Putting these tales to paper became sensorially comfortable when I learnt to type on the laptop. I began blogging when I was sixteen, and the amazing response and love that I got from my readers encouraged me to write more, and write better. The rest, as they say, is history.
Are there authors, stories, or experiences that shaped your outlook or writing style? Can you share a few favorites and why they matter to you?
My favourite authors are PG Wodehouse, Ruskin Bond and Salman Rushdie. I seek inspiration for my stories from the people around, the people I meet or read about. I hope to crack the humour code like PG Wodehouse, write tales wrapped in golden sunshine that depict the beauty of a ‘regular life’, like Ruskin Bond, and I want to be courageous to tell a tale, exactly the way I wish to, like Salman Rushdie.
How do you develop ideas for your fiction and non-fiction writing? What does your writing process look like? Are there themes or ideas you find yourself drawn to again and again?
There are two aspects to my work. My fiction novels, which do not feature autistic protagonists, and are not about autism. I don’t ‘look’ for ideas and plot line. It comes to me from what I see, hear, read and observe. That said, I do a lot of careful research to get the backdrop and cultural nuances right. My novel, Thus She Rose, which was launched in November 2024, is set in Pahalgam, and the current one that I am working on is set in Madurai.
The other part of my work is the advocacy blogs that I write. For these, I draw from my lived experience, and those of other neurodivergent I know. I also read up extensively to get the technical aspects of autism right.
How do your experiences as an autistic person shape your fiction?
I think my autism has given me the ability to observe very keenly and understand what is untold. This, I believe, is a great skill for a writer to possess.
Diagnosis
When did you get to know that you are autistic? Who told you? How did you feel at the time?
While I was apparently diagnosed as being on autism spectrum in my early childhood, when I was less than three years old, my parents told me about it when I was eight. But I figured out that I am very different from everyone around me because everyone else could talk effortlessly, and I couldn’t even string a few words together, no matter how hard I tried! So I already knew, but when my parents told me, I learned the name of what was causing the difference. Someone I was interacting with once mentioned that she loves my ‘radical self acceptance’. This radical self acceptance did not come overnight though. It came with time and effort.
Have you tried any support, resources, or therapies along your journey as an autistic person? Which ones made a positive impact for you, and why?
So apparently I have undergone OT and Speech therapy. Early OT helped me pick up the skills to brush my teeth, comb my hair, wear climate appropriate clothes and eat a balanced diet consisting of different textures and taste. I was first introduced to AAC at ComDEALL, in the form of communication folders, which had pictures that could be used for different situations. I had a brief, but disastrous stint with ABA. The therapist concluded that I wasn’t talking inspite of possessing reasonable intelligence because I didn’t even want to attempt talking. This is barely true; and clearly, we were at cross purposes. So I stopped ABA after that brief stint.
What kind of information/ resources / help do you think would have been helpful for you or your family in this journey?
Technology has been the biggest game changer for me, and I have had access to it from pretty early on. The understanding that speech therapy for autism should focus on communication and not on asking to repeat speech sounds could have prevented a couple of mishaps.
Emotions
Emotional self regulation and executive functioning are two other areas that are often said to be difficult for autistics. Do you agree?
Executive function- not as much, but emotional regulation- yes, that is a challenge.
Can you share your experiences around emotional self regulation?
I have a theory that may or may not be true for others. I feel emotions a lot more intensely than most others, and my sensory profile and physical exhaustion also impact how deeply I feel about something at any given point.
What has helped and/or continues to help you in this area?
Being able to communicate with AAC has certainly made it easier. We all need a listener sometimes, and being able to express gives me a way to get the pent up emotions out. I also have pretty intense social anxiety and CBT has worked well in helping me manage it.
Do you have any suggestions for parents and therapists on how to support young children develop emotional self regulation?
The basic first step is the understanding that inability to express and communicate can be extremely frustrating. So having second thoughts about giving a child a reliable mode to communicate should be out of question. That said, giving AAC will not automatically guarantee better self regulation. Autonomy in communication ensures the child has a way to express their challenges and the parent has the required information to figure out appropriate interventions and support.
Advocacy
What made you start speaking up about non-speaking autistics and neurodiversity?
This was sometime in the first quarter of 2022, and my blogs, which incidentally was not about autism, had taken off well and struck a chord with the readers. Avaz, the company that makes the app, asked me if I could write blogs about AAC for them, and I agreed. These blogs were well received too.
This was also the time this person, Padma Jyothi, got in touch with me and asked me if I would be interested in contributing to the anthology of lived experiences of Indian AAC users. I agreed but was not sure about who will buy and read the book. The response that this book, Talking Fingers, got was astonishing. For the first time ever, I realised that so little is known about us, our perspectives, opinions and more. People have always talked about us, but were hearing from us for the first time. And that mattered because it made them re think about many long held erroneous notions. This inspired me to write more content based on lived experience for the initiatives that I write for.
As a neurodivergent author, which myths or stereotypes about autism would you most like to see changed?
Sadly, given the larger geopolitical situation, the list of misconceptions has begun to look like a laundry list! So here are the top five that I wish to challenge:
- Autism has not become a public health emergency. The numbers can logically be attributed to changed diagnostic criteria and better early intervention.
- There is no scientific basis to the claim that using paracetamol during pregnancy will make the child autistic. Pointing to the most vulnerable and underserved group in the autism spectrum to raise fears about the safest pain and fever management medication is not just unethical, but also warrants answers to a fundamental question – what is being done to improve the quality of life of the said segment?!
- Vaccines don’t cause autism. Actions fuelled by ignorance, lack of common sense and giving in to fear mongering can certainly cause outbreaks of measles, chicken pox and dangerous cases of hepatitis, though!
- Speech and communication are two very different things for us autistics, and the need for AAC is a lot more than we care to admit.
- Majority of us autistics are not ‘exceptional’ at some specific skill. We, for most part, function at average level and lead rather unremarkable lives.
Can you share one or two memorable interactions or experiences that reinforced your confidence or sense of belonging as a young autistic adult?
Like I mentioned elsewhere, I am someone with a lot of social anxiety. But my advocacy work has brought me in touch with many people from the larger stakeholder group – parents, professionals and other neuordivergents. My work has also opened up opportunities for me to interact in ways that I never did before, so on the whole and every single event that I have been a part of, and have had the opportunity to interact and share my perspectives, have been enjoyable, making me more confident in my own skin in the process.