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Dimple Goenka IFIP Fellowship Announced at Delhi Conference

Dimple Goenka Receives IFIP Distinguished Fellowship for Work in Inclusive Education

Dimple Goenka, founder of Saaransh Foundation and co-founder of Bholaram Education Society, has received the Distinguished Fellowship of the International Forum of Inclusion Practitioners (IFIP) for her work in inclusive education and programmes supporting neurodiverse people.

The fellowship was presented during the World Inclusion Conference India 2026, held at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, on July 31 and August 1. The conference brought together educators, policymakers, institutions and organisations working on inclusion in schools, higher education and society.

The World Inclusion Conference India 2026 was organised with the International Forum of Inclusion Practitioners and AFAIRS. The conference website describes IFIP as a membership organisation for inclusion practitioners and experts, with a network covering 140 countries. Its work includes training, accreditation, conferences and professional programmes related to inclusive education.

For Goenka, the fellowship is linked to her work through Saaransh Foundation and Pehchaan, its vocational arm. The foundation works with children and young people with autism, dyslexia and other learning and developmental needs. Its work includes education, special education, skill development and preparation for greater independence.

Saaransh Foundation was started by Bholaram Education Society in 2016. The organisation operates from the campus of Delhi Public School, Gandhinagar, where it follows an inclusive model that allows children with additional learning needs to share space with mainstream students and teachers. The foundation says its aim is to support children who may need specialised educational and developmental support.

The foundation’s work has also moved beyond classroom education. Its focus includes pre-vocational and vocational training, occupational and speech therapy, special education and other forms of support. A Delhi Public School Gandhinagar document describes Saaransh Foundation as a special school serving children with autism spectrum disorder and other learning disabilities, with several support services available on the campus.

Pehchaan adds a work-related element to this approach. Vocational programmes can be important for neurodiverse young people because education alone may not prepare every learner for employment or independent living. Training in practical skills can give young people more choices after school and help families plan for life beyond formal education.

This area of education also has a clear place in Indian law and policy. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 includes provisions covering the duties of educational institutions, measures to support inclusive education, vocational training and self-employment. It also provides for free education for children with benchmark disabilities and other education-related rights.

The National Education Policy 2020 also calls for children with disabilities to take part in regular schooling, with support such as trained educators, resource centres, suitable learning materials, assistive devices and technology. The policy places inclusive education within its wider focus on access and equity.

That policy direction matters because inclusion is often decided at the school level. A child may have the legal right to education, but the experience can depend on whether a school has trained staff, suitable teaching methods, accessible facilities and the ability to adjust learning to individual needs.

Bholaram Education Society, which is linked to Saaransh Foundation and Delhi Public School Gandhinagar, has a longer history in education. The society was established in 2003 by industrialist Ramesh Goenka. It later joined hands with the Delhi Public School Society to establish Delhi Public School Gandhinagar in 2004. The school was formally inaugurated on April 11, 2004, when Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The school now follows the Central Board of Secondary Education curriculum and serves students from Nursery to Class XII. Its official material also records the presence of counsellors and special educators for students with conditions including dyslexia, autism and ADHD.

The international setting of the fellowship also places Goenka’s work within a wider discussion about education and inclusion. IFIP’s World Inclusion Conference in India followed its first World Inclusion Congress in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in 2025. IFIP says its work is aimed at connecting policy with what happens in classrooms and other educational settings.

The 2026 New Delhi conference included more than 200 global experts and speakers, according to its organisers, along with educators and policymakers and more than 50 plenary and breakout sessions. The programme covered issues linked to inclusion in education and wider society.

Goenka’s fellowship therefore comes at a time when inclusive education is receiving attention from governments, schools and international organisations. For Saaransh Foundation and Bholaram Education Society, the recognition adds an international dimension to work that began in Gujarat around a decade ago.

The practical test will remain at the level of learners and families: whether children receive suitable education, whether young people gain useful skills, and whether neurodiverse people have greater opportunities to take part in community and working life. Those are the areas where policies and awards ultimately have to translate into everyday results.