Dr Lakshmi trained as a Paediatrician and Neonatologist in the 1980’s, Lakshmi had a vision for the first neonatal intensive care unit in South India. Until then, children were treated together with adults.

In 1990’s Lakshmi opened her own Childrens’ Hospital. Here, she could appoint the best staff personally and make her decisions independent of hospital management. Little Hearts Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad developed a reputation of saving high risk babies and families flocked there. Many young girl babies received the name Lakshmi after pulling through the dangerous period and surviving premature birth.

Attached to Little Hearts Children Hospital was a clinic for children with developmental delay. Lakshmi would see children with epileptic seizures, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome and increasingly ADHD and autism spectrum. In a pivotal moment, she met a child on the Autism spectrum who opened her eyes (actually she threw her glasses out the window!)

The ‘autism challenge’, helping these children and families became her passion and led her on a path of research. There were some early successes. With a batch of children and keen parents, a school and therapy centre were born – Saandeepani Centre for Healing and Curative Education. Here Rudolf Steiner’s indications on education were combined with a nutritional and sensory based medical approach. This approach has been refined and developed over the last 15 years.

Lakshmi worked for many years as a school physician, as well as travelling, teaching and inspiring new centres, clinics and schools. She was a founding parent of the Abhaya Waldorf School in Hyderabad and the founding president of the Anthroposophical Medical Society in India.

Since 2007 she has worked in Australia as an education consultant and lecturer in health promotion within school communities.

She is highly sought after across multiple geographies for her integrated approach, deep understanding of children and of the connections between education and health. Her public presentations are informative, engaging and heart-warming.