JAMMU, Aug 28: Creativity, connection and the spirit of siblinghood came together as India Autism Center (IAC) hosted Threads of Belonging, an inclusive Rakhi-making workshop to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. The initiative brought neurodiverse individuals, their siblings and friends together in a warm and welcoming environment focused on creativity, self-expression and meaningful relationships.
Designed as an art therapy-led celebration, the workshop provided participants an opportunity to create their own Rakhis while expressing themselves in ways that felt comfortable and meaningful to them. Beyond the creative activity, the session encouraged interaction, confidence-building and stronger bonds between siblings and peers through a shared cultural experience.
The initiative reflects IAC’s broader commitment to promoting inclusion, participation and meaningful community engagement by creating culturally rooted spaces where individuals of diverse abilities can celebrate relationships and togetherness.
Speaking on the occasion, Jaishankar Natarajan, Director and Chief Executive Officer, India Autism Center, said that inclusion is created when individuals are provided the space and opportunity to participate, express themselves and develop meaningful connections. He said Threads of Belonging brought the spirit of Raksha Bandhan into an environment where creativity became a means of connecting, communicating and celebrating sibling bonds.
Natarajan also highlighted the participation of Anamitro Chatterjee, Resident Artist at India Autism Center, as co-facilitator of the workshop, describing it as an example of inclusion in practice. He emphasised that neurodivergent individuals should have an active role in shaping and leading inclusive experiences.
Anamitro Chatterjee, co-facilitator of the workshop, said the experience was meaningful as it brought individuals together in a space where everyone could create and express themselves in their own way. He observed that while making a Rakhi is a simple and familiar activity, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on the people who hold an important place in one’s life.
Rajashree Mukherjee, Art Therapist and Facilitator, said the workshop demonstrated how art can become a language of connection. She stressed that the focus was not on creating a perfect Rakhi, but on enjoying the process, expressing oneself and sharing the experience with others.
She added that watching neurodivergent participants engage with the activity in their own individual ways and celebrate their sibling relationships made the session particularly meaningful. The celebration ultimately transformed a traditional Raksha Bandhan activity into an inclusive platform for creativity, belonging and human connection.