Cipla Foundation is committed to empowering children with developmental difficulties. The Foundation has been supporting Ummeed Child Development Center, Mumbai since 2014 to enable early detection and treatment of conditions like autism. It has accelerated this commitment by partnering with Ummeed to set up a world class training center that gives children with special needs access to a growing community of trained caregivers.

To mark World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), Cipla Foundation is running a series of initiatives to celebrate its long-standing commitment. On April 2nd, 2017, Cipla House, Mumbai will join other Mumbai landmarks and light up in blue as part of the global “LightItUpBlue” campaign. Cipla South Africa and USA will also showcase their solidarity with the cause. Teams in Cipla offices across the globe will dress up in blue and join social media campaigns to raise urgently-needed awareness about Autism.

Rumana Hamied, CEO Cipla Foundation said, “Occasions like this are an opportunity to shine a spotlight on children with special needs and give them the focus that they deserve. We are thrilled that Cipla teams worldwide are taking this day to honour the commitment that Cipla Foundation hopes to fulfill every single day.”


According to Autism Speaks, an US based advocacy organization, 1 in 68 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder. In fact, more children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.

Autism is the fastest growing neuro-developmental disorder in the world. “Neuro”- because it is related to how the brain functions and “developmental”- as it primarily impacts how a child develops. Autism impacts children’s development in how they speak and understand what is being said to them. In addition, children with autism often struggle to form friendships and other social relationships and may have interests or behaviors that are obsessive and repetitive.

However, intervening early through appropriate therapy can change the course of the disorder. Following early intervention, children show progress in their developmental skills and learn how to communicate effectively, form social interactions and regulate themselves better.

Ummeed, meaning ‘hope’, is a non-profit organization set up in 2001 by Dr. Krishnamurthy with the objective of helping children with developmental disabilities or at high risk for disabilities, reach their maximum potential and be included in society. Ummeed achieves this by working in collaborative teams, creating and following best practices, empowering families, building resources in the community, participating in advocacy as well as working with children and families from all sections of society.

For more than a decade now, Ummeed’s multi-disciplinary team of developmental paediatricians, autism interventionists, occupational therapists and mental health professionals have worked with thousands of families of children with autism. Children receive therapy to support their communication, social, play and academic skills while parents are also trained to help their children acquire these skills that may not come easily to them.