Ballachanda Dhanya Ponnamma Uthappa stands as a beacon of hope and empowerment for specially-abled children in Mysore. As the Founder and Chairperson of Devdan Special School, she has dedicated over 15 years to transforming the lives of these remarkable individuals. Born to Late Apparanda Dala Subbaiah and Devaki in Kakkabe, Dhanya's journey is rooted in a profound commitment to education and inclusivity.
Married to Mr. Ballachanda Uthappa from Kadangamurur, Dhanya has built her life around nurturing others. Under her leadership, Devdan Special School provides essential support for children with multiple disabilities—including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, and Down syndrome. Collaborating closely with Mr. Kotera Dilip Devaiah, the school's counselor, they offer invaluable guidance to parents navigating the challenges of raising specially-abled children.
Devdan operates through private funds, reflecting Dhanya’s unwavering belief that every child deserves access to quality education tailored to their unique needs. The school welcomes students aged 7 to 30 years and offers academic instruction for younger children aged 3 to 10 years. In addition to core academics, students engage in vocational training and various extracurricular activities such as life skills development, gardening, baking, music therapy, and art therapy—ensuring a holistic approach that fosters children both independent and personal growth.
Dhanya’s educational background includes schooling at Sri Rama Trust School in Napoklu, followed by specialized training at the Spastic Society in Bangalore. Her professional journey includes significant vital roles played at Kendriya Vidyalaya Mysore, and Mentoring the importance of special education in Phoenix International School Mysore.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed; she has been featured on going live on FM channels by giving interviews regarding the issues surrounding specially-abled children on SYVM Sargur and Akasvani Mysore multiple times. Additionally, her innovative spirit led her to create an impactful aura by creating an interact club for special children for the first time in the whole of Asia with the help of Rotary and became a benchmark in history of Rotary—a first in Rotary history—and she actively contributes as a Rotarian youth president within the Rotary E- Club Mysore to add on with she has been associated with Special Olympics as a head coach for athletics representing Karnataka state.
She is also a master trainer for NIOS (National Institute of open schooling, being a expertise in the field of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) by making the parents aware about the disorders and important role to be played by the parents towards their upliftment of the special kids.
Dhanya Ponnamma’s vision extends beyond mere education. It encompasses empowerment through skill-building opportunities that prepare specially-abled individuals from nowhere to somewhere meaning, a special child's life making it more practical to social norms to lead the child’s life based on self-employment guiding technics makes her fulfill the dreams of the parents as well as that kid's life to feel proud themselves within their communities.
She has been represented as Mrs. Karnataka from Mysore in the year of 2018.
