AI-Enabled Assistive Technologies for Inclusive Education

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January 12 – 13, 2026

AI-Enabled Assistive Technologies for Inclusive Education

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri Campus

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As part of the “AI for Inclusion & Social Good” pre-summit events, and as an official pre-event of the AI Impact Summit 2026 India (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India), a two-day program hosted by the UNESCO Chair on Assistive Technologies in Education at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri Campus. The event will focus on advancing inclusive education through AI, Assistive Technologies, and Educational Technology to support students with disabilities.

The event will feature panel discussions led by researchers, educators, and assistive technology experts; an Assistive Technologies showcase developed by university researchers, faculty, and students; and a capacity-building program on Online Labs (OLabs) for special educators conducted by experts from CIET, NCERT. Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpreters will be available to ensure accessibility.

The program advances inclusive and equitable quality education through collaboration, aligning with UN SDGs 4 (Quality Education) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). It further strengthens national efforts aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.

Program Schedule – Day I

Distinguished Speakers

Smt. Manmeet Kaur Nanda
IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. GoI

Ms Tulika Pandey
Scientist-G, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dashgupta
National Awardee Global Motivational TEDx Speaker
India’s First Disabled Certified Happiness Coach Inclusion & Accessibility Champion UN D-30 Changemaker, Happiness Unlimited

Shri Kumar Raju
Director, Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC)

Dr. Maneesha Vinodini Ramesh
Pro Vice Chancellor Dean, School for Sustainable Futures Dean, International Programs UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development Director, Amrita Center for Wireless Networks & Applications

Prof. Vinod Namboodiri
Director, Center for Community-Driven

Assistive Technologies, Lehigh University, USA

Emeritus Prof. Ulrike Zeshan
Emeritus Professor, University of Lancashire and Academic Advisor, Happy Hands School for the Deaf, Adjunct Professor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Dr. Prema Nedungadi
Associate Dean, School of Computing, Amritapuri Professor, School of Computing, Amritapuri Director, AmritaCREATE National Coordinator, C20 India, Education & Digital Transformation Working Group UNESCO Chairholder – on Assistive Technologies in Education

Bri. Amritasmitha Chaitanya
Kochi Amrita School (AIDA)Principal

Bri. Amrita Chaitanya
MA MATH

Dr. Amarendra P. Behera
Joint Director, Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), NCERT

Ms. Huma Masood
Senior Programme Officer, UNESCO, India

Dr. Varsha Gathoo
Former HoD Education AYJNISHD

Dr. Bhavani Rao R.
Dean, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences (Amritapuri & Coimbatore) Director, Amrita Multi-Modal Applications using Human Computer Interactions (AMMACHI Labs), Amritapuri Director, Center for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality, Amritapuri UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Amritapuri Program Director, Women’s Empowerment Initiatives, Mata Amritanandamayi Math

Shraddha Agarwal
Oral Deaf Founder and CEO – Signsetu

Prof. Vaishali Kolhe
Associate Professor, Centre for Disability Studies and Action, Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Masarrat Khan
CEO, Maharastra Dyslexia Association

Dr. Krishnashree Achuthan
Dean of PG Programs, School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Director, Cyber Security, Amritapuri Director, TBI, Amritapuri

Dr. Priyanka Jain
Associate Director & Head Department Neuro-Cognitive AI & XR Group

Dr. Praveen Bobby Binjha
Associate Professor (Educational Technology),
Department of ICT and Training Division CIET, NCERT

Dr. Noopur Jhunjhunwala
Founder and Trustee, ChangeInkk Foundation

program committee

Program Chairs

Dr. Raghu Raman

Prof. Prema Nedungadi

Technical Committee

Dr. Geetha M

Dr. Divya Udayan J.

Remya_vice-chairperson_ece_engineering_amritauniversity_amritapuri

Dr. Remya

Organizing Team

Vineetha_faculty-associate_cs_engineering_amritauniversity_amritapuri

Bri. Vineetha

Dr. Rajlakshmi Kanjilal

Amal Krishnan U. C.

Priya Ravi

Dr. Arya (Ekaterina) Lengefeld

About the Organizer

In September 2025, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and UNESCO launched a new Chair on Assistive Technologies in Education. The new UNESCO Chair makes Amrita the only university in India to host three Chairs. This new Chair joins the Chair on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (established 2016) and the Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation and Development (established 2020).

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About Online Labs (OLabs)

Online Labs (OLabs) is an educational initiative by Amrita CREATE at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, developed in partnership with C-DAC, Mumbai and supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Ministry of Education (MoE).

Learn more about OLabs

EXPERIENCE OLABS