Kolkata: The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I), in partnership with Exide Industries Limited as part of its CSR initiative, hosted a powerful training workshop titled “Inclusive Education and Mental Wellness in School Education” on September 14, 2024. The event, supported by the Early Childhood Association (ECA), brought together a cross-section of educationists, psychiatrists, and paediatricians to reimagine how schools can nurture every child’s potential — mind and heart alike.
Held at the BCC&I premises, the workshop saw participation from 37 leading city schools, each eager to deepen their understanding of inclusive practices and mental health strategies for young learners.
The session opened with a warm welcome from Mrs. Sukanya Bose, Director, BCC&I, followed by an insightful theme address from Mr. Nishant Sinha, CSR Head, Exide Industries Ltd. “Schools, institutions and society at large must commit to override differences in abilities and provide every individual a fair chance to learn, develop and acquire essential life skills,” said Mr. Sinha, setting the tone for the day.
A special address by Ms. Suman Sood, Director and Principal of BD Memorial Junior School; Adviser, BDM International & IVWS; and National Core Committee Member, ECA, along with Dr. Soumitra Dutta, Senior Consultant Paediatrician, reinforced the message of empathy-driven education.
Following the felicitation of distinguished guests, the main session unfolded as a series of case-based discussions exploring real-world approaches to inclusive education and childhood mental health. Esteemed speakers included Dr. Soumitra Dutta, Dr. Abir Mukherjee (Consultant Psychiatrist), Dr. Susmita Halder (Associate Professor of Psychology, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata), Ms. Lipika Bhattacharya (Special Educator), Ms. Ishitha Mohanka (Principal and Early Childhood Educator), and Ms. Seema Sapru (Principal, The Heritage School).
Key conversations revolved around:
Empowering educators to build resilience and foster non-judgmental listening in classrooms.
Navigating the challenges of working with non-compliant parents.
Understanding legal and ethical duties under the POCSO Act for reporting and handling cases of abuse.
Promoting early prevention through boundary education and awareness of safe and unsafe touch.
Strengthening empathetic communication as the foundation of children’s emotional well-being.
The day’s discussions resonated with a shared commitment to build inclusive, emotionally secure, and child-sensitive school environments.
Closing the session, Ms. Sukanya Bose reaffirmed BCC&I’s continued dedication to advancing mental wellness in education, noting that this initiative marks “a meaningful step toward a more compassionate and inclusive future for every learner.”
