Ms. Punita Vasant Solanki is a Principal (BOT Programme) at National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR), Kallettumkara, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur, Kerala, India since May 2022.

She is registered for her Bachelor’s Degree: BSc (OT) and Master’s Degree: MSc (OT) under the Maharashtra State Council for Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy Act 2002 in 2009 with Registration Number: 2010/02/OT/000086. She is a registered Occupational Therapist with the Academic Council of Occupational Therapy (ACOT) of the All India Occupational Therapists' Association (AIOTA) in 1996 with Registration Number: 019147.

Qualification

• Bachelors in Occupational Therapy (November 1995) from Seth G. S. Medical College & King Edward VII Memorial (KEM) Hospital, Parel East, Mumbai, Maharashtra (Mumbai University).
• Master in Occupational Therapy in Orthopaedic Conditions (May 1998) from Seth G. S. Medical College & King Edward VII Memorial (KEM) Hospital, Parel East, Mumbai, Maharashtra (Mumbai University).
• Advanced Diploma in Clinical Research (December 2013) with first rank and distinction grade, from Academy of Clinical Excellence (ACE) at Bombay College of Pharmacy, Santacruz West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• She had certifications as Youth Fitness Trainer from International Sports Sciences Association, Level I Mat Foundation Pilates Teacher by Pilates Institute of America & Theraband Academy Instructor.

EXPERIENCE & ACHEIVEMENTS

Ms. Punita has experience of more than 25 years in the field of occupational therapy and musculoskeletal rehabilitation after graduation. After her post-graduation, she gained experience at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children and at Seth G. S. Medical College & King Edward VII Memorial (KEM) Hospital, Mumbai, as a clinical occupational therapist, lecturer and then assistant professor from June, 1998 to January, 2013. During her service at this Institution, she also served as a member of Committee for Academic Research Ethics (CARE) for a period of one year from 2011-2012. At this teaching institution, she was Maharashtra University of Health Science (MUHS) recognized undergraduate and post-graduate teacher and an examiner. She had been a teacher and dissertation guide for undergraduate and post-graduate students of occupational therapy for 12 years.

Later, she tried her hands in private practice career for about one year and four months, from March, 2013 to July, 2014, at a multi-specialty hospital and few nursing homes in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. She worked for a period of one year at Capita India Private Limited in Knowledge Services Department from May, 2014 to May, 2015, as a Senior Associate. She later pursued freelance career for a year and a half as a therapist and a research editor and also worked as a visiting consultant occupational therapist at AR Orthopaedic & ICU Hospital, Malad West, AR Orthopaedic Clinic, Goregaon West, Kanchi Nursing Home, Goregaon East, NM Medical, Malad West between August, 2015 to March, 2022. She worked as a visiting on-site occupational therapist for a BPO in Malad West, Mumbai from November, 2015 to September, 2016. She also worked as a Manager, Medical Communication at Mool Tatvam Consulting LLP in Goregaon West, Mumbai, from 24th April, 2017 to 12th September, 2017.

She has authored two books on Multiple Choice Questions in Occupational Therapy. Additionally, she has a total of 19 national and international journal publications/conference proceeding/editorials etc. to her credits.

She is a sincere, hard-working, honest, passionate, dedicated, meticulous, assertive, motivated, observant, and a proactive therapist with versatile hobbies which include: reading, writing, drawing, painting, internet-surfing, cooking, teaching, participating in medical camps, children's sports camps, listening to music, visiting places of professional importance, visiting libraries and book stores, attending academic meetings etc. She has learnt yoga, typing, basic computer skills: MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) She takes keen interest in adult and paediatric orthopaedic (musculoskeletal) rehabilitation, hand therapy, preventive health education, primary and secondary clinical research, medical writing and editing. She has a special interest in documentation of case-specific health data. Her honorary academic commitments include:

• Editor, The Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy (Tenure: April 2020 to March 2024)
• Executive Committee Member, The All India Occupational Therapists’ Association (Tenure: April 2020 to March 2024)
• Secretary, Society for Hand Therapy (India) (Tenure: January 2020 to December 2024)

Awards

• Secured First Prize in Poster Competition (Topic: Neuro-Rehabilitation - Treatment Modalities in Occupational Therapy) on the occasion of UTKARSH - Annual Occupational Therapy Festival held in Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. (February, 1997).
• Fellow of Academic Council of Occupational Therapy (Conferred on 16th February, 2018 at OTICON’2018, Nagpur, Maharashtra India)
• AIOTA’s Professional Excellence Award by the All India Occupational Therapists’ Association (Conferred on 8th February 2019 at OTICON’2019, Chandigarh, India)

Language Proficiency

She is proficient in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati

Ms. Anna Daniel is the Vice Principal of the BOT Programme and as an Occupational Therapist in National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR). She has more than 12 years of clinical experience and 5 years of teaching experience. Her expertise is in the assessment and Occupational therapy management of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. She is a certified Handwriting specialist and has extensive experience in working with children with Specific Learning Disorders, especially Dysgraphia. Anna has published papers in international journals. She had also developed a comprehensive Curriculum for Kindergarten. She also has experience in the management of adults with neurological and psychiatric disorders.

She is passionate about parent mediated therapy and teaching and learning through the eyes of a child. She strongly believes in being kind and bringing the best out of children.

Qualification

• Masters in Occupational Therapy (Advanced OT in Paediatrics) from KMCH College of Occupational Therapy (Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University), in March, 2010
• Masters in Psychology (Distance course) from Madras University, in May, 2007.
• Bachelors of Occupational Therapy from Christian Medical College, Vellore (Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University), in August, 2004
• Certification in Handwriting without Tears (HWT), by Learning without Tears USA in March, 2015
• Certified in Sensory Integration Programme by University of Southern California (USC) Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in 2022.

Work Experience

• Tutor in Occupational Therapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore, from July 2005 to May 2008
• Training Officer, Sense International (India), Ahmedabad from June 2010 to January 2011
• In charge Occupational Therapist, Therapia, Childcare Hospital and Paediatric Neurology Clinic, Ahmedabad from February 2013 to November 2016
• Curriculum and Instructional Designer and Teacher Trainer, Poorna Publications, Calicut from May 2017 to January 2020.
• Anna is currently working as an Assistant Professor in NIPMR since January 2020.

Language Proficiency

Proficient in English, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil

Mr. Sibadiuty Mohapatra is an Occupational Therapist with 4.8 years of expertise in the assessment and management of Adults with Neurological disorders, and adults with Orthopedic and pediatric neurodevelopmental disabilities. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor for the BOT course in NIPMR. His areas of special interest are Stroke Rehabilitation, Geriatric Rehabilitation, and cognitive rehabilitation in TBI cases. He has a keen interest in the rehabilitation of people with Parkinson’s disease.

Qualification

• MOT in Neuro-rehabilitation (Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal University, Udupi) in 2017
• BOT (National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research, Cuttack, Odisha) in 2014

EXPERIENCE & ACHEIVEMENTS

• Assistant Professor at Department of Occupational Therapy, JSS Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka, from 2019 to 2022
• Senior Occupational Therapist at First Neuro Brain and Spine Super Speciality Hospital, Mangalore, from 2017 to 2019.

Language Proficiency

Proficient in Odiya, Hindi, Kannada & English

Ms. Athulya Hari Kumar is an Occupational Therapist with 1.6 years of experience in the assessment and management of adults with neurological and orthopedic disorders, and Pediatric Neurodevelopmental disorders. She is currently working as a lecturer for the BOT programme in NIPMR. Her areas of interests are Stroke and Parkinson’s disease rehabilitation.

Qualification

• MOT in Neurosciences (SRM College of Occupational Therapy, Chennai) in 2022.
• BOT (National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities, Kolkata, West Bengal) in 2018

EXPERIENCE & ACHEIVEMENTS

• Occupational Therapist, Seha Garden International Hospital, Meenchira Road, Ponnekara, Edapally, Kochi, from January 2022 to May 2022.
• Occupational Therapist, SH Medical Centre, Nagampadam, Kottayam, from October 2021 to January 2022.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Mahatma Gandhi Occupational Therapy College, RIICO institutional area, Sitapura, Jaipur, from November 2020 to September 2021.

Language Proficiency

Proficient in Malayalam, Hindi, English, Bengali, Tamil

She is an Occupational Therapist with 4.5 years expertise in the assessment and management of children with Neurodevelopmental disorders, and adults with orthopaedic and neurological disorders. She is currently working as an Assistant Professor for the BOT course in NIPMR. Her areas of special interests are hand splinting, assistive technology and Sensory Integration Therapy.

She is soft spoken and enjoys being with children and finds joy in even the smallest of victories and milestones achieved by the clients.

Qualification

• MOT in Pediatrics (SRM College Of Occupational Therapy, Chennai) in June, 2014
• BOT (KMCH College Of Occupational Therapy, Coimbatore) in March, 2012
• Certified in Hand splinting, Department of Occupational Therapy, Manipal University
• Certified in KinesioTaping Level 1 and 2 by the Kinesio Taping Association International
• Certified TheraTogs Fitter level 1
• Completed a six month part-time course on Assistive Technology Solutions conducted by National Institute of Speech and Hearing and NIPMR.
• Attended the Pre-K training program of Learning without tears

Language Proficiency

Proficient in English, Malayalam and Tamil

Ms. Bishnupriya Lenka is an Assistant Professor of the BOT programme and an occupational therapist at NIPMR. She has 3.8 years of clinical experience. She has expertise in assessment and management of adult and paediatric patients with orthopaedic conditions. Her areas of interests are hand rehabilitation, upper limb and lower limb splinting, fabricating adaptive device with head and neck splinting. She has undergone a certificate course in hand splinting and assistive technology. She has a paper published in an international journal. She strongly believes in a client-centred treatment approach and rapid restoration of functional abilities with passion and positivity.

Qualification

• Masters in Occupational Therapy (Hand and Musculoskeletal Conditions) from Manipal University in September 2018.
• Bachelor in Occupational Therapy from SVNIRTAR in August 2016.
• Certified in Hand Splinting Course conducted by Manipal University in 2018.

Work Experience

She has worked as an occupational therapist in Kalinga Institute of Medical Science (KIMS), Odisha from January 2019 to August 2022.

Language Proficiency

Proficient in Odia, Hindi, English

Ms. Avipsha Patra is the Lecturer of the BOT Programme and an Occupational Therapist in National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR). She has 8 months of clinical experience. Her expertise is in the assessment and management of various developmental disorders such as Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, etc. She is motivated & passionate towards tiny achievements of the children with special needs.

Qualification

• Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT in Developmental Disabilities) from Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (Utkal University), Cuttack, Odisha, in October, 2021.
• Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR) (Utkal University), Cuttack, Odisha, in June, 2019.

Work Experience

She has worked as an Occupational Therapist in Hear N Say Clinic, Telangana from December 2021 to August 2022.

Language Proficiency

Proficient in English, Hindi, Odia, Telugu

Mr. Chinmay Debasis Nanda is a Lecturer of the BOT programme and an Occupational therapist at NIPMR. He has 10 months of clinical experience. He has expertise in assessment and management of adults with Neurologic, Orthopaedic, and Oncological conditions. He is currently working as a Lecturer for the BOT course in NIPMR. His areas of interests are hand & upper extremity rehabilitation in various orthopaedic and neurologic conditions.

Qualification

• Masters in Occupational Therapy (Advance Occupational Therapy in Hand Rehabilitation) from SRM College of Occupational Therapy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in 2021.
• Bachelor in Occupational Therapy from Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR), Cuttack, Odisha in 2019.

Work Experience

He has worked as an occupational therapist in Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute, Mumbai from November 2021 to August 2022

Language Proficiency

Proficient in Odia, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, English