Daughter, wife, mother - I've fulfilled the roles of my gender over the last 56 years. But my true calling and identity have blossomed with my career as a counsellor and teacher for children with special needs.

My love for teaching started with my first job as a teacher for Primary school children in Ooty. It wasn't till I moved to Chennai in 2000 that I took on the role of a counsellor. This job was wonderfully different and proved immediately fulfilling and satisfying in a way that I never knew possible. It wasn't easy trying to reach for a patience that I never knew I had, nor was it easy understanding how each child with special needs is different, unique and... well, special.

Over the last nine years I have grown as a woman, as a counsellor and as a friend - along with my special children. I strive to make each session meaningful and valuable so it's suited to each child's needs. I currently teach full-time at a private school for children with special needs, V-Excel, and provide remedial help for children from my home in the evenings and weekends.