Dear readers, thanks for joining us for the insightful interviews in the Empowering Voices series that feature the lived experiences of Indian speaking autistics. Today, Mr. Aayush Ganjoo is our guest and has shared his journey of navigating the autism spectrum. Getting to know him over the course of this interview, I am repeatedly reminded of the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henry, that resonates deeply with the life of Aayush and his view of life.
Welcome to My World
1Q) Please introduce yourselves to our readers.
Hi I am Aayush Ganjoo, I’m 22 years old and I recently graduated from FLAME University in Pune, with a degree in International Studies and Public Policy. I am an adult on the autism spectrum and I was diagnosed at the age of 3.
2Q) Please share your hobbies and interests/passions with us.
I like weightlifting, drawing, reading, watching movies, and cooking. Exercise helps me feel less restless throughout the day and improves my sleep quality, drawing helps me relax after a stressful or overwhelming day by giving me a task I can hyperfocus on and tune out the rest of the world with. Reading is always fun because I love learning about new things and an interesting story is always fun hence why I like cinema as well. And at last cooking is fun for similar reasons that drawing is but it also comes with the added bonus of getting to eat something that tastes good.
3Q) How do you cope when you’re having a bad day..
I cope by engaging with my hobbies and de-stressing and de-escalating the negative feelings I may have, be it frustration, stress, anger, or sadness. It’s better to have a healthy outlet for these feelings otherwise it’s easy to fall into self destructive or outwardly destructive behaviours like engaging in unhealthy habits or taking out your anger and frustration on others.
4Q) What are glimmers in your life? (Glimmers are tiny micro moments of joy - fleeting, everyday moments that elicit a rush of happiness, gratitude, calm, peace, safety, or goodwill)
I like spending time on my hobbies, looking at things people have sent me on my phone, eating a good meal, relaxing on my bed after a long day.
5Q) When did you realise that you are autistic..
I realised rather early that I was different from the other children around me prior to going to a special school and usually through observation I could tell people treated me differently or observed me in a different way compared to neurotypical children. While I did not know the words to communicate this idea or really fully understand it myself from a young age, I had a certain awareness of it. When I was about 8 years old, my mother started a training program with UMMEED and prepared me that she would be home only by 7 pm every day for some time, so she would not be home when I returned from school. That's when she explained to me about autism and that I am on the spectrum.
Education and Workplace Experiences
1Q) What are your experiences in school/college… What challenges do you face..
Initially time management and living by myself was difficult, it was hard to stay within that optimal bandwidth of learning in such a dynamic environment so often my “productive hours” were quite low in the week, id struggle to enter the “zone” so to speak where I was able to learn and work productively but slowly I learnt how to autoregulate and prime myself to be in a more conducive zone in my emotion and focus to be able to learn and work more effectively.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges?
I find having more structured routine and sticking to good habits like a healthy sleep schedule, good diet, and regular exercise made autoregulation far easier for me.
3Q) What accommodations ( physical or changes in the mindset of people around you) would help you thrive in this scenario?
For classes or work a quiet environment helps me focus a lot. Usually if it's also empty or only has a few people it gets even easier to focus. Outside of this I usually do not need much accommodation. I work best by myself. I can work on collaborative projects but that’s usually only good for the phases where discussion is required, else if it’s solo work I much prefer to be alone when I do it.
Sensory Challenges
1Q) Please share your sensory world with us.
I feel at least now my sensory world is not that atypical though I still have an aversion to loud, crowded and cluttered environments but outside of that I’m usually fine with any stimuli I come across in between. I think early on OT really helped. There are days where I am more or less sensitive to stimuli such as the feeling of many things on my skin or to sound and light and smells but I find nowadays I’m usually at an equilibrium with my environment.
2Q) How does it affect your daily life?
I usually have to be conscious and more attentive to how plans may play out in order to avoid certain situations that can make me feel uncomfortable hence why I would say I’m probably a lot less spontaneous than the average person. I take things into account before doing anything that could make me come across scenarios where I’m overstimulated. It has probably impacted my social life because I have avoided gatherings or seeing certain people to avoid overstimulation making me a little less outgoing.
3Q) What accommodations physical or changes in the mindset of people around you would help you thrive..
If people could take these factors into account when planning anything involving me it would make my life easier but ultimately as an adult one is responsible for themselves and so the ultimate onus of my own wellbeing falls on myself.
Communication Challenges
1Q) How different is your communication style from the Neurotypicals and how does it affect your daily interactions..
I find I often have to be very clear with my speech if I want something done to my liking, even when I talk to friends and family I find if I don’t explain myself fully there may be room to be misinterpreted. I often do the same on the receiving end as well where I ask again for clarity and ask for people to elaborate things for me. Often if things aren't explained clearly or explained in euphemism I may have a tendency to misinterpret them. I do not use the other forms of communication much apart from speech as I’m not too good at picking up on the nonverbal cues of other people and myself do not exhibit too many nonverbal cues.
Stress makes communication difficult. I often shut down and sulk if I'm too stressed, i will take a day or two to myself before returning to prior levels of communication in such circumstances. If my social battery drains while in the company of many people I politely take leave and spend some time by myself.
2Q) How do you cope with this challenge..
I explain my needs in communication to people I will be speaking to often and ask that they respect those needs, more often than not people are understanding when it's explained gently and not as a confrontation. I am not aggressive when I communicate with people but neither am I passive, I take the more assertive route to get my point across without hurting the general sensibilities of others. All of my friends and family know how I am with communication and are quite understanding of when I want to disengage from it.
3Q) What accommodations would help you thrive..
Having a nice quiet space I can retreat too if communication becomes too overwhelming, to give me time to cool down. Having people around me being aware and understanding of my needs, getting time and space to explain myself to others, all of these are accommodations that would help.
Relationships
1Q) What do you look for in your relationships? ( friends/family/colleagues/partners)
What challenges have you faced in your relationships..
I choose the people I spend time with wisely, if they are not to my liking I don’t hold too many qualms in distancing myself from them. I look for people who are understanding, empathetic, intelligent, and responsible. These traits lend themselves to a good friend in general, not just a good friend for me or any other autistic person. I feel people should seek such friends regardless of any conditions since such friends are good for everyone and these qualities overlap universally.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges..
I do not force myself to make friends with people. I have come to a realisation that while socialising is great it can't be at the expense of one's own wellbeing. If the people you are trying to be friends with do not respect you or care for you and think about you then it is better off to have no friends at all. I am selective with who I let into my life and that's mostly how I deal with the challenges of socialising.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you would help you thrive..
If people were more aware and understanding of neurodiversity particularly autism it would greatly help the perceptions that they have of those different from them in society. It would help me as more people would be more understanding of what I am asking of them and be able to deliver that to me better. Most of the prejudice of the world comes from ignorance and thus education is one of the most powerful tools we have in fighting it. Educating the public on neurodiversity will make the world a far more accommodating place for neurodiverse individuals and help everyone thrive.
Bullying
1Q) Have you faced bullying in school/college/workplace? Would you like to share a few details with us..
When I was younger I used to face a lot of bullying. Children are very observant and notice when things and people are different from the norm, they have a tendency to pick apart those differences and be harsh towards them. I do not think it comes from a place of genuine malice rather in them flexing their newly developed social muscles. The bullies of childhood often are children who are lashing out from being bullied by someone else and in their case that bullying comes from a much more dangerous place (turbulent household, older children, bad environment) so I hope they are all doing fine now. As I grew older the bullying started to decrease and ceased entirely as I became an adult.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges?
In my childhood I did not have much of a coping mechanism for this. I would lash out quite a bit and have meltdowns which would result in more bullying and shame, but over time I learnt to distance myself from situations where I would face ridicule or bullying. Over time you learn that being assertive and strong in one's convictions is more than enough to ward off most bullies who are in essence looking for the softest target they can find. Having some mental hardness and thick skin is sufficient.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you, would help you thrive..
The problem of bullying is a holistic one as I mentioned earlier. The bully more often than not is bullying themselves and perpetuating that violence or harassment they experienced as a way of reclaiming their own pride. Educating children from a young age about the harm bullying can cause as well as on neurodiversity and all of the possible ways and conditions with which people live can help to build more understanding in children and in adults.
Masking
1Q) Have you ever had to mask to look neurotypical? Please share your experiences..
Yes, I have had to mask to appear neurotypical in various settings, especially in social situations or formal environments. This often involved suppressing stims, forcing eye contact, or mimicking the conversational styles of others to fit in. Masking helped me navigate environments where being “different” might have led to misunderstanding or exclusion. However, it was exhausting and often left me feeling disconnected from my authentic self.
2Q) What challenges have you faced because of masking..
Masking can be emotionally and physically draining. It often led to burnout because maintaining the façade of being neurotypical took a significant mental toll. There were also moments of frustration when I felt misunderstood because I wasn't expressing myself authentically. Over time, it created a sense of isolation, as I felt like I couldn’t fully be myself with others.
3Q) When did you decide to unmask and how was the experience..
I started unmasking gradually during my university years when I realized the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance. It was liberating but also challenging, as I worried about how others would perceive me. Thankfully, most people were supportive, and I found that being open about my neurodivergence helped build stronger, more genuine connections.
4Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you, would help you thrive..
Creating environments where differences are not only accepted but celebrated would make unmasking easier. Encouraging open conversations about neurodiversity, being patient, and avoiding assumptions about how someone should behave can create a more supportive atmosphere.
Executive Functioning Challenges
1Q) What executive functioning challenges ( adaptable thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working memory, time management, and organising) have you faced and how does it affect your life?
I’ve faced difficulties with time management, planning, and staying organized. These challenges often made it harder to meet deadlines or maintain a consistent routine. On some days, it felt overwhelming to start tasks, even when I knew they were important.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges?
I rely on structured routines, visual schedules, and setting small, achievable goals to stay on track. Using reminders and alarms also helps me manage my time better. Exercise, proper sleep, and breaks are essential to maintaining focus and reducing stress.
3Q) What accommodations ( physical or changes in the mindset of people around you) would help you thrive..
Having understanding people around me who give clear, concise instructions and allow flexibility in deadlines when possible is helpful. Tools like task management software or visual aids can also provide additional support.
Social life
1Q) What challenges have you faced in your social life..
Socializing can sometimes be overwhelming due to sensory challenges or miscommunication. There have been instances where I’ve struggled to pick up on social cues or maintain energy in group settings. This has sometimes led to misunderstandings or feelings of exclusion.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges?
I focus on building meaningful, one-on-one connections and setting boundaries when needed. Taking breaks to recharge and being transparent with close friends about my needs helps a lot.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you would help you thrive..
Patience and understanding go a long way. When people are aware of my social preferences and respect my need for space or downtime, it makes interactions more enjoyable and less stressful.
Comorbidities
1Q) Please share what comorbidities have you faced..
I’ve dealt with anxiety, which often stems from sensory overload or the pressure to meet expectations. There have also been moments of difficulty identifying or expressing emotion
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges?
Practices like mindfulness, therapy, and exercise have been instrumental in managing anxiety. Working on my art or reading helps me process emotions, and seeking support from trusted friends or professionals makes challenges feel less overwhelming.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you, would help you thrive..
Providing a calm, structured environment and encouraging open, non-judgmental communication would help. Greater awareness of how anxiety can affect behavior would foster understanding and reduce unnecessary pressure.
Towards a better tomorrow
1Q) Please share your message to parents of autistic children in how they can create a nurturing environment at home.
Create an environment that values acceptance and
understanding over conformity. Celebrate your child’s strengths and interests,
and provide them with tools to navigate their challenges. Encourage open
communication and advocate for their needs in educational and social settings.
2Q) Please share your message to therapists on how they can include neurodiversity affirming practices in their approach.
Shift the focus from “fixing” to supporting. Work collaboratively with autistic individuals to understand their goals and preferences. Respect their unique way of experiencing the world, and use strategies that empower them rather than pressuring them to mask or conform.
3Q) Please share your thoughts on how we can work towards an inclusive and neurodiversity friendly society.
Education is key. Promote awareness about neurodiversity from an early age, encouraging empathy and understanding. Advocate for inclusive policies in schools, workplaces, and public spaces. Celebrate diversity as a strength, and ensure everyone has the support they need to thrive.
