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Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Beyond Walls and Colours: Project Udaan Inclusive Worlds for Neurodiverse Children
At Arpan Charitable Trust's vibrant school courtyard, a mural of a soaring butterfly catches the light, its wings outstretched in brilliant colour. This is more than public art — it's part of Project Udaan by Asian Paints St+art Care, a pioneering initiative that reimagines how children with neurodivergent needs interact with the world. Marking a milestone in the decade-long partnership between Asian Paints and St+art India Foundation, Project Udaan turns learning spaces into inclusive, multi-sensory environments that celebrate neurodiversity with empathy, creativity, and community involvement. We sat down with Amit Syngle, Managing Director and CEO of Asian Paints, to explore the deeper philosophy behind the project, how design can heal, and why Udaan is more than an initiative—it's a story of shared transformation. Q:Project Udaan goes beyond design—it touches lives. What moved you personally or as a leader to support such an emotionally resonant initiative? ''Project Udaan champions the idea that every child deserves a space where they feel understood, inspired, and free to express themselves in their own way,' Syngle begins. Reflecting on Asian Paints St+art Care's prior work in inclusive design, he adds, 'Our journey with St+art Care, a joint endeavour by Asian Paints and the St+art India Foundation, began at a paediatric hospital in Noida. We used art and colour to transform a space often seen as stressful and intimidating for children into one that feels warm, welcoming, and full of joy. Our second initiative was at a school for the visually impaired in Rajasthan, we used experiential textures to bring art to life for the students. These projects showed us that design, when done with empathy, can become a bridge that leads to expression and comfort.' Q:Colours, textures, and materials can become tools of healing and expression. How did you approach these elements with greater sensitivity for children with different sensory needs? 'The world of colours and textures is incredibly powerful, especially when working with children with neurodiversity,' he says. 'We explored how responsive visual and tactile cues could guide interaction. Every element was chosen to create a rhythm the children could connect with.' He emphasizes that the project focused not just on beauty, but on sensory regulation. 'Our aim was harmony— spaces that energize without overwhelming. The interplay of soft pastels, rhythmic textures, and tactile surfaces was carefully curated to address both ends of the sensory spectrum. That's the kind of thoughtful layering that makes Udaan unique.' Q:St+art Care is grounded in accessibility and belonging. What's your long-term vision for this initiative, especially in expanding inclusive design into underserved communities? 'We've been working with St+art India Foundation for almost a decade, built on a shared dream to make 'Art & Spaces Accessible for All',' Syngle reflects. 'Together, we've transformed more than 500 walls across over 20 cities. With Asian Paints St+art Care, we are deepening that mission—bringing light and joy into unconventional spaces not typically touched by art.' Through this vertical, we're turning everyday spaces from schools, shelters and clinics, into interactive, intuitive, inclusive environments. These become touchpoints of comfort and belonging. Our goal is to make art not just accessible, but functional – a medium that provides a sense of expression and grounding.' Q:Asian Paints' message 'Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai' speaks of personal stories. How does Udaan expand that message into the learning space? 'Our brand philosophy has always been that every home tells a story—Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai. Udaan is an extension of that. It carries that idea forward into the learning space, by telling the story of children who express themselves in unique ways—through touch, rhythm, colour, and pattern,' said Syngle. 'Every space reflects the people who inhabit it,' he continues. 'With Udaan, it's about celebrating the diversity of how children learn and grow within the school. These environments become safe havens—spaces that mirror their individuality and inner worlds. Through this initiative, we're saying: 'This space sees you.'' Project Udaan is more than an artistic intervention—it's a redefinition of inclusion, grounded in materiality, emotion, and co-creation. With the collaborative efforts of Asian Paints, St+art India Foundation, and partners like Arpan Charitable Trust and Access For ALL, this initiative challenges traditional notions of design to create spaces where every child is not just accommodated but celebrated. In a world shaped by uniformity, Project Udaan invites us to build with difference in mind—one joyful detail at a time.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Project Udaan by Asian Paints and St+art India Foundation turns a learning space into a place of care, connection and inclusion
Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Asian Paints by Times Internet's Spotlight team. Art's expansiveness not only holds space for expression but also for healing. It is a lens that adds beauty to the ordinary and fuels our determination to make sense of challenges. And when harnessed with purpose, it can turn even the most clinical or overlooked spaces into environments of care. This belief lies at the heart of Asian Paints St+art Care — a collaborative initiative by Asian Paints and the St+art India Foundation. Born from the idea that design can be both beautiful and deeply human, Asian Paints St+art Care focuses on transforming sensitive environments through art led by empathy, inclusion, and a genuine concern for Udaan, the third project under Asian Paints St+art Care, has been launched at Arpan Charitable Trust, Vadodara — a nonprofit organisation that works closely with children with neurodiversity. It's part of a decade-long partnership between Asian Paints and the St+art India Foundation, built on a shared dream to make 'Art & Spaces Accessible for All'. Through colour, creativity, and design, Asian Paints St+art Care brings light and joy into unconventional spaces not usually touched by art — helping them feel more inclusive and allowing them to children on the spectrum, even everyday classrooms can sometimes feel overwhelming. Sensory stimuli and social interactions may become too much to process. In these moments, art becomes more than just a medium; it becomes a gentle companion. It soothes, centers, and enables expression. Through colour, form and space, art helps neurodivergent children with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and more to share their inner worlds in ways that feel safe, expressive, and Udaan is an art and sensory intervention that creates neuro-friendly, emotionally attuned environments for the children. The model uses materiality and sensory design to redefine learning spaces proving that walls, colours, and textures can do more than decorate; they can encourage self-expression and promote healthy emotional a conversation, Amit Syngle, MD and CEO of Asian Paints, reflects on what Project Udaan stands for, 'Project Udaan is a deeply meaningful initiative for us. It shows how design, when rooted in empathy and not just aesthetics, can support those who experience the world differently. This project brings together sensory understanding, collaboration, and creativity to craft spaces where every child feels seen, safe and understood.''Speaking on how the project aligns with Asian Paints' brand vision, he added. ''This initiative beautifully builds on our philosophy of 'Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai,' which reflects the company's core purpose — bringing unbridled joy into peoples' lives and celebrating the emotional connection people share with their spaces. Udaan, as a part of Asian Paints St+art Care takes this vision forward — from beautifying homes to reimagining schools and public environments that offer care, comfort and inclusion. It's a meaningful step towards our larger goal of making art and spaces more accessible, impactful, and soulful through design.'Neurodivergent children have varied sensory needs. Some may be sensitive to textures or sounds while others might actively seek sensory input and tactile experiences. Artists Amrit Khurana and Anikesa Dhing, who conceptualised and executed Project Udaan, deeply understood these nuances. Khurana, drawing from her own experience as an individual with autism, incorporated structured patterns and rhythmic textures that boost spatial predictability. Dhing used her material expertise to ensure each surface offered a purposeful tactile experience, some designed to encourage interaction, while others offered calm and its core, Project Udaan isn't about decoration, it's about empathy through design. Each texture, surface, and shade were chosen to listen to children's emotional and sensory inspiration for this project also stems from the butterfly's metamorphosis. It reflects the journey that every child takes — evolving in a nurturing cocoon, such as Arpan, into their fullest self. A common space within the school has been transformed into a stimulating and soothing arena through the integration of textures, colours, and interactive surfaces from Asian Paints, such as Royale Play textures, matte emulsions in pastel shades, and tactile Nilaya fabrics and wallpapers, to create a multi-sensory can now explore their environment in a way that feels safe and exciting. Matte finishes reduce visual glare offering visual comfort, while tactile wall textures and Nilaya fabric surfaces provide structure and stimulation. Sensory rugs and pompom textures work together to enhance sensory awareness and motor development. From interactive spaces that encourage learning, to playful zones and cocoon-like corners that help individuals decompress, every element adapts to individual sensory needs, creating a space where every child feels secure and design was shaped in close collaboration with Arpan's educators, caregivers, and occupational therapists. Their insights into behaviour, movement, and comfort helped ensure the space isn't just beautiful, but truly supportive of the children's a three-day workshop facilitated by Access For All and led by Siddhanth Shah, children explored the space using rollers, combs, and custom applicators, feeling colourful Royale Play textures take shape under their fingertips. Their responses, whether they gravitated toward a texture, paused at a shade, or felt overwhelmed, all became real-time design feedback, ensuring every choice was was rooted in actual needs and made with the child's experience in mind. The school's exterior now proudly features a butterfly mural, serving as a vibrant reminder of the potential of neurodiverse Udaan, Asian Paints and St+art India hope to inspire similar sensory interventions across the country. Prior to Udaan, Asian Paints St+art Care transformed a Children's Hospital in Noida, turning the often stressful and intimidating experience of a hospital visit, into one that feels more friendly and welcoming, especially for its young patients. The second initiative, Project Sparsh was undertaken at a visually impaired school in Rajasthan, where tactile art experiences were created to make art more inclusive and Syngle says, 'We believe spaces should do more than just exist; they should evolve with the people who utilise them. With Asian Paints St+art Care, we are committed to creating environments that are not only visually beautiful but emotionally resonant— places that provide clarity, comfort, and connection. By integrating textures and materials that support sensory needs, we've built a space that adapts to children. While our journey began with beautifying homes, it now includes shaping emotionally intelligent spaces for all.'There are still hurdles that prevent many from accessing or engaging with art in meaningful ways. But initiatives like Udaan remind us that when design is led by empathy, it can unlock expression, connection, and confidence in children who experience the world Udaan is not just an intervention; it's a blueprint for what's possible when art becomes a language of care.
