By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 18 Apr: A two-day International Psychology Conference, organised by School of Liberal Arts, Uttaranchal University, began on a spirited note with an elaborate inaugural ceremony, here, today. Present were several dignitaries including University President Jitender Joshi, Vice President Ankita Joshi, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Dharam Buddhi, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Rajesh Bahuguna, Guest of Honour Tamrina Matta, Dr Surendra Dhalwal, Dr Anand Pratap Singh and Dean, Student Welfare and Director School of Liberal Arts, Prof Dr Shravan Kumar.
The session commenced with the arrival of Guest of Honour Tamrina Matta, India’s first female Visually Impaired Clinical Psychologist, who was welcomed by Jitender Joshi. The ceremonial lamp lighting was followed by singing of the University Kulgeet.
Prof Dr Shravan Kumar highlighted the pride in hosting such an event at Uttaranchal University. He reflected on the conference’s core philosophy — making learning human and placing compassion at the heart of education — emphasising that the conference was not just to welcome but to celebrate inclusion in its truest form. The introduction to the conference was delivered by Dr Surendra Dhalwal, who underscored the idea that the conference does not simply speak about inclusion — it embodies it. He spotlighted inspiring stories of pioneers such as Tamrina Matta, Gopinath, Daki Suchiyang, and Angel Arora, each contributing uniquely to the field of inclusive education and mental health, despite their personal challenges. Dr Anand Pratap Singh from Gautam Budhha University addressed the psychological essence of inclusive education, stressing that mere physical inclusion is insufficient. He advocated for psychological inclusion — where learners experience true belonging, positive relationships, and freedom from social isolation.
The ceremony also marked the launch of the University’s Literary Magazine — The Himalayan Wordsmith. The editorial team includes Prof Dr Shravan Kumar (Chief Editor), Dr Deepak Bijalwan (Manager), along with student contributors. Additionally, the Book of Abstracts was released. In a deeply personal and empowering keynote, Tamrina Matta shared her journey of growing up in an inclusive environment, recognising the privileges she had, and advocating for a future where mental health and inclusion are normalised, not ignored. She ended on a hopeful note, expressing her belief in progress “one change at a time”.
The Vice Chancellor, Uttaranchal University, reflected on the intersection of technology and inclusion, highlighting collaborations with institutions like NIEPVD and GBU. He called for innovation with a purpose and use technology to enhance societal impact, mentioning even AI in creating inclusive support systems. The Vice President, Uttaranchal University, emphasised on the need for meaningful action, stating that inclusion is not a mere responsibility but a transformative commitment that changes the educational landscape for the better. Along with this, 100 research papers were presented. Tokens of appreciation were presented by Jitender Joshi to the dignitaries and guests.
In the next session, Tamrina Matta gave a powerful talk on ableism, the labeling theory, and the psychological toll of negative labels. She explored the effects of labels on self-esteem, resilience, and acceptance, mentioning conditions like ADHD and autism. Her discussion on internalised ableism, reflected appraisal, and the stigma around disability and mental health left a lasting impact. This was followed by Angel Arora, an outstanding Clinical Psychologist with Cerebral Palsy, who candidly narrated her struggles with cerebral palsy, navigating through educational rejection, mental health battles, and eventually finding her passion in clinical psychology. Her message to “keep going and let your life shine” received heartfelt applause. Daki Suchiyang, India’s First Female Rehabilitation Psychologist with low vision, expressed gratitude to NIEPVD for providing her an inclusive and appreciative academic experience. Finally, Gopinath, India’s First Male Visually Impaired Clinical Psychologist, who lost vision when he was 20, shared his transformative journey with NIEPVD and how being accepted by Dr Dhalwal turned his life around.
One of the major highlights of the day was a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Navigating into the Perspectives on Met & Unmet Needs of Inclusive Education”. It was chaired by Prof Waheeda Khan from SGT University and moderated by Dr Pratibha A Singh, KIPBM, NIEPID. The panel featured insights from a diverse set of experts including Dr Rushi Naaz, AIISH, Mysore; Dr Ravi Gupta, AIIMS, Rishikesh; Dr. Manisha Jha, IHBAS, Delhi; Dr Abhilasha Gautam, AIE, Greater Noida; Neha Verma, Fitterfly Healthtech, Mumbai; Shivanie Kapoor, The Motivation Psychologist, Noida; and Siddharth Banerjee, NIEPVD, Dehradun.
The discussion shed light on real-world challenges and strategies in implementing inclusive education models. Later, Prof Dr Derick H Lindquist, OP Jindal Global University, delivered a plenary session on “The Neuropsychological Benefits of Active Learning on Inclusive Education”, chaired by Prof. Vibha Sharma, IHBAS, Delhi.
The session bridged cognitive science with classroom inclusivity. Dr Derick talked about active listening and learning and how the brain is related to both.
