Dr. V. S. R. Vijayakumar is a senior psychologist, academician, industry consultant, and data science professional with over four decades of experience in higher education, psychological assessment, counselling-oriented training, and research mentoring. He holds M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in Psychology from the University of Madras and has contributed extensively to the advancement of evidence-based practices in psychology, education, and organisational development.
He has taught postgraduate courses in Psychology and Management and has trained educators, counsellors, and corporate executives across diverse sectors. His areas of expertise include personality assessment, organisational behaviour, psychometrics and test development, counselling processes, data science, and quantitative research methodologies. In addition to his academic roles, he has substantial consulting experience in industry, where he has worked with organisations on leadership development, behavioural assessment, HR analytics, training design, and data-driven decision-making initiatives. He has also served in senior academic leadership roles within a reputed technology-enabled education delivery organisation, leading multidisciplinary teams in the development of digital learning resources and professional training programmes.
Dr. Vijayakumar has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and has presented research at numerous national and international conferences. He has guided several doctoral scholars and numerous postgraduate research projects, and has supported innumerable Ph.D. researchers through methodological mentoring, psychometric assessment design, and advanced statistical consultation. His long-standing engagement with psychometric assessment and professional guidance underpins his present work in psychological assessment and counselling initiatives.
He has designed and delivered faculty development, counselling skill enhancement, and executive development programmes focusing on personality development, emotional well-being, educational effectiveness, and data-informed practice. Widely travelled for academic collaborations, he currently works as an independent psychology and data science consultant, freelance trainer, and educator. His contributions to the field have been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asia-Pacific School Psychology Association, Malaysia.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Dr. T. Santhanam is a highly distinguished psychologist, clinical hypnotherapist, and educator with over four decades of experience in mental health, rehabilitation, behavioural sciences, and special education. As the Director of SDS Academy of Behavioural Sciences, Chennai, he has advanced research, clinical practice, and professional training in psychology, with a focus on evidence-based interventions and inclusive education. He served as the Head of the National Career Service Centre for Differently Abled (NCSCDA), Government of India, pioneering vocational rehabilitation, skill development, and empowerment programs for persons with disabilities. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, he was awarded the National Award by the President of India twice.
Dr. Santhanam’s expertise spans clinical psychology, psychotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), clinical hypnotherapy, counselling, and special education. He has provided professional services to over one lakh clients, addressing diverse mental health and developmental challenges.
In addition, he regularly conducts community awareness programs and workshops on disability rights, mental health promotion, and legal provisions such as the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, National Trust Act, 1999, RCI Act, 1992, and POCSO Act, 2012.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
Dr. Santhanam’s academic journey reflects a strong foundation in psychology, education, special education, clinical hypnotherapy, and law. He completed his B.A. and M.A. in Psychology at Presidency College, Chennai, followed by an M.Phil. (1978) and Ph.D. in Psychology (1989) from the University of Madras. Furthering his specialization in education, he earned a B.Ed. in Special Education with Rehabilitation Council of India accreditation. His qualifications also include a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy (2022), Diploma in Community Mental Health from NIMHANS (2023), LLB in Law (2012), and RANZCP accreditation in evidence-based psychotherapies (2025), demonstrating a commitment to integrating clinical, educational, and legal expertise.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Dr. Santhanam began his professional career as a psychologist at Bala Vihar (1979–1980) and subsequently at the Government Institute for Mentally Retarded, Tamil Nadu (1984–1989), working with children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. From 1989 to 2009, he served at the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped, Govt. of India, where he designed and implemented employment and vocational training programs for persons with disabilities. As Head of NCSCDA (2009–2013), he led nationwide initiatives in rehabilitation, inclusive employment, and skill development, significantly advancing the cause of disability empowerment. Since 2014, he has been the Director of SDS Academy of Behavioural Sciences, guiding research, education, and clinical practice.
TEACHING & ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS
Dr. Santhanam has served as visiting faculty at premier institutions such as the University of Madras, Tamil Nadu Open University, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Bharathiar University, Annamalai University, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Christ University (Bengaluru), University of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), Assumption University (Thailand), and the University of Tokyo (Japan). He has guided 69 M.Phil. dissertations and 16 Ph.D. theses in psychology, special education, and guidance counselling, and has been an external research guide and committee member for multiple universities, including Ummayaal Achi College of Nursing and Sri Ramachandra University.
His research interests include mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders, rehabilitation psychology, organizational behaviour, career guidance, clinical hypnotherapy, and legal rights of persons with disabilities.
Dr. Santhanam has authored three influential books: Children with Learning Disability, Learning Disabilities and Remedial Programme, and Stress and Attitude of Women Teachers, and has published over 50 research papers in national and international journals. His recent work includes research on study skills enhancement through hypnosis, chronic pain management, emotional intelligence, and behavioural determinants in children with autism, demonstrating his commitment to both applied and innovative psychological interventions.
WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
Dr. Santhanam has conducted and participated in over 40 national and international workshops and seminars, targeting teachers, students, psychologists, and medical and allied professionals. For teachers, his workshops cover social-emotional learning, adolescent mental health, classroom management, curriculum planning, positive reinforcement, and awareness of RTE and POCSO Acts. For students, he addresses study skills, memory enhancement, creative thinking, examination anxiety, peer pressure, anger management, emotional regulation, and digital addiction. For professionals, his training emphasizes psychodiagnostics, IQ and personality assessments, CBT, trauma and grief counselling, research methodology, and advanced therapeutic interventions.
Key institutions and conferences include NIEPMD, Bharathiar University, Annamalai University, Acharya Nagarjuna University, V-Excel Educational Trust, SCARF & WPA Chennai, and APSPA & InSPA Conferences. He has served as resource person and keynote speaker at several national and international events, and has chaired sessions at significant conferences, including the 3rd International Conference on Challenging Exclusion (SRM Institute, 2018), International Conference on Multiple Disabilities (ACS Medical College, 2020), and International Conference on Hypnosis (2023). His training emphasizes practical, ethical, and evidence-based approaches.
CLINICAL EXPERTISE
With over 40 years of clinical experience, Dr. Santhanam has treated a wide range of clients, including children, adolescents, and adults with learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental disorders, mental health issues, and chronic conditions. His therapeutic approaches include psychotherapy, clinical hypnotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, counselling, and psychological assessment. He has provided services to more than 100,000 clients, positively transforming the lives of individuals and communities.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & CONSULTANCY
Dr. Santhanam is a life member of the Madras Psychology Society, Tamil Nadu Psychology Association, and Indian School Psychology Association (InSPA). He holds membership in the American Psychological Association, American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, Indian Association for Professional Supervisors, Chennai Counsellors Forum, Association of Hypnosis -India and Indian Society of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis. He has also contributed to boards of studies in criminology, guidance and counselling, and psychology. As a consultant, he has advised institutions such as V-Excel Educational Trust, Anjuman Centre for Applied Learning, Kavi Bharathi Vidyalaya, and JVMS Venkateswara Matriculation School on curriculum development, assessment, and psychological interventions.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Dr. Santhanam has received two National Awards from the President of India (2006 & 2009) for his outstanding contributions to rehabilitation and mental health. He was made a Fellow of InSPA in 2024 and has been recognized for his leadership in training, research, and promotion of mental health across India.
CONCLUSION
In sum, Dr. T. Santhanam exemplifies a life-long dedication to psychology, rehabilitation, education, and community service. His career integrates research, clinical practice, teaching, and legal awareness, creating a unique profile of expertise that spans clinical, academic, and social impact. Through his guidance, mentorship, and interventions, he has influenced countless students, professionals, and clients, leaving a lasting imprint on the fields of mental health, learning disability, special education, and behavioural sciences in India and internationally.
BRIEF RESUME
Prof. Panch. Ramalingam (03.03.1960) is the Director (Retd) of the UGC – Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (formerly UGC-HRDC) at Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India. This centre, established by the University Grants Commission (UGC), is dedicated to the professional development of higher education teachers by planning, organizing, monitoring, and evaluating training programs for college and university faculty. With 28 years of experience in teaching, research, and faculty development.
Academically, his research interests span Teacher Education, School Psychology, Occupational Preferences, Decision-Making, Mental Health and Well-being, Educational Counselling Psychology, Career Counselling, Integral Education, Yoga, Cross Cultural Psychology, and Indian School Psychology.
He is an active participant in academic conferences and regularly presents research papers at the annual conferences of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology (IAAP), Asia Pacific School Psychology (APSPA), and Indian School Psychology Association (InSPA).
With extensive experience in academic event organization, he has successfully conducted more than 30 national and 25 international conferences/seminars. Since 1993 published more than 60 research papers in the reputed International and national journals and contributed around 30 book chapters. A prolific author and editor, he has contributed to over 110 books, including 60 publications focused on psychology and education. Some of his notable works include: School Psychology in the Indian Context (2021) – Translated into 16 Indian languages, and in Nepali. His works have gone through multiple editions and have earned prestigious accolades.
ACADEMIC VISIT TO THE COUNTRIES
His academic engagements have taken him to several international institutions. He has presented papers at:
- University of Malta, Malta – 31st International Conference of ISPA (July 2009)
- Trinity University, Dublin – July 2010
- Malaysia School Psychology Association, Malaysia – January 2019
- University of Basel, Switzerland – July 2019
- National Institute of Education, Colombo, Sri Lanka 2020
- University of Mauritius, Mauritius September 2023
- The Assumption University of Thailand, Bangkok 2024
He has also visited several countries for academic collaborations and research discussions, including London, Paris, Austria (Klagenfurt University), Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, Japan (Tokyo University), and Thailand.
EDITORSHIP
- Editor, Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology (2005 to present)
- Editor, InSPA Journal of Applied and School Psychology (Founded in 2019)
- Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Asia Pacific School Psychology (Founded in 2020)
- Member, International Editorial Board of the Iranian Journal of Organisational Psychology (2025)
- Editorial Board Member, 'Disabilities and Impairments' (Since 2008)
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Contemporary Behavioural and Social Research (JCBSR) (Since 2024)
LEADERSHIP ROLE
He is the Founder President of the Asia Pacific School Psychology Association, Malaysia (2019–till date). He is the Founder President of the Pondicherry Psychology Association (2000–2008). He visualised to promote School Psychology in India and established as Founder Secretary, and current President of the Indian School Psychology Association (InSPA) (2020–till date). His contributions to society through InSPA are highly commendable. As a visionary leader, he has been instrumental in establishing school psychology in the Asia Pacific region. His dedication to promoting school psychology initiatives reflects his deep commitment to children’s mental health and well-being.
