Dr Janaki Balakrishnan is the Managing Trustee of Vijay Human Services, Chennai, an organisation that provide educational services to intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She is also a Trustee-member of Navajyothi Trust, An Institute of Mental Retardation, Ambattur, Chennai, which provides vocational training for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, she is the vice-chairperson of Andhra Mahila Sabha Mitra Mandir – A Home for Male Persons with Intellectual Disabilities- run under the auspices of Andhra Mahila Sabha, Chennai.
Her educational credentials include both psychology and special education. She has worked in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities for nearly 20 years in various roles that include three years of international teaching in USA as a special educator. Previously, she worked as a subject matter expert in psychology and at present, she is engaged as a “Working Committee Member” to help the CSR activities and Athmaprasara (Mental Health) programs at Shri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Seva Trust, Rajapalayam.
Her doctoral research work involved developing a scale to assess challenging behaviours in IDD and her future interest includes working with families to deal with problem behaviours in such individuals. Her interests involve applied behaviour analysis, educational technology, writing and research.