Chennai, October, 2025: Diya Arun, a Class XII student at Shraddha Children’s Academy, is leading a movement to reduce stigma around epilepsy and other neurological and developmental conditions. Through her outreach, Diya demonstrates that these conditions are challenges to be understood and managed, not weaknesses to be hidden. Her advocacy now also extends into promoting sexual literacy for children with developmental and learning differences, highlighting a broader effort to empower students with knowledge and confidence.
Earlier this year, Diya organized a large-scale epilepsy awareness event that drew over 250 participants, including neurologists, educators, parents of children with developmental disabilities, and students from across five Chennai schools. The event, hosted at Shraddha Children’s Academy Auditorium, began with Diya sharing her personal story, her early struggles with epilepsy, the journey toward stability, and the resilience that fueled her advocacy.
“For too long, epilepsy has been whispered about,” said Diya. “I want students and families to see that with the right care and open dialogue, anyone can lead a confident and fulfilling life.”
The event featured an interactive Q&A session with medical professionals, including Dr. Harini, a neurologist, and Dr. Joshua, who had previously spoken at Arvind Foundation’s medical camp. Together, they clarified myths about epilepsy and offered practical advice to families around managing seizures and medication adherence.
Beyond awareness events, Diya volunteers at Arvind Foundation, a Chennai-based NGO supporting children with special needs. She assists in classroom activities, guides students in reading and writing, and over the past year, has impacted over 100 families connected to the foundation’s programs. She raised over ₹1.33 lakh to help provide life saving medicines for the children and partnered with a nutritionist to create a plant based, epilepsy focused diet plan for them. Additionally, for Independence Day, she coached one student through weeks of practice for a speech, helping him deliver his first-ever welcome address in English, a milestone that left a lasting impression on the child and his family.
“Diya brings empathy and structure into every interaction,” said Ms. Sudha, Principal at Arvind Foundation. “Her ability to connect with children and empower them to express themselves is extraordinary.”
Diya has also begun promoting sexual literacy and education for children with developmental and learning challenges at Arvind Foundation. Her work helps students feel secure and aware of their boundaries. Research shows that children with intellectual and developmental differences often receive limited guidance in this area and advocates argue that age-appropriate sexuality education supports self-protection and safer relationships. Diya hopes to introduce structured, age-appropriate modules in her peer network, with guidance from experts and educators, to bridge this gap.
Diya’s work continues to ripple outward, encouraging families, educators, and peers to embrace inclusion—in epilepsy, neurological conditions, and sexual literacy. Looking ahead, she aims to launch a peer-support network for students with epilepsy and collaborate with local hospitals to organize quarterly awareness drives across Chennai schools.
“An inspiration,” said Dr. Varaprasad Rao, former MP of Tirupati and former MLA of Gudur. “Advocacy like hers can change lives and possibly influence policies.”
Her story stands as a testament to the power of compassion-driven leadership. Through her voice and vision, Diya is helping India take one step closer to destigmatizing neurological conditions and promoting open conversations about sexual literacy, ensuring that no student feels defined by their diagnosis or differences.
