Leaders

The challenge of identifying developmental disorders in children is still acutely prevalent beyond metropolitan cities in India. This in turn has led to a high demand for accessible and comprehensive child development care.

In order to close the gap between the two requires determination to create solutions where they are needed the most; this belief defines the journey of Sai Harika Boppana, the Founder & CEO of Threysol, a one stop platform for multispeciality child development services.

After training in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Sai began her career in Bengaluru as a Speech Therapist. Her work with autism was a major highlight of her initial professional journey. Moving to Hosur marked a turning point that revealed a lack of multidisciplinary developmental services in tier-2 cities.

Influenced by her own experience of growing up with a younger sister with a hearing impairment, Sai’s approach remained firmly family-centered and impact-driven. What started as the Dhara Speech Therapy Clinic turned into Threysol, a child development services provider supporting children aged 0–8 years across semi-urban India.

After receiving recognition through NSRCEL's Women Startup Program at IIM Bangalore, she was able to expand and innovate further. The inspiration and support provided by her family and professionals like Dr Vasanthi Thiagarajan, powered Sai’s journey of impact.

What inspired you to pursue a career in speech therapy and child development?

My choice of this field was deeply personal, inspired by my younger sister, born with a hearing impairment. Diagnosed at age three, her journey from delayed responses to becoming an independent graduate was made possible by my parents’ determination and early intervention. This, along with my natural affinity for children led me to Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, focusing on Speech Therapy. The joy of hearing a child speak a single word reinforced my commitment.

I worked as a Speech Therapist at Samvaad Therapy Centre, Bengaluru (2013–2017), gaining expertise in autism intervention. After moving to Hosur, I noticed a gap in multidisciplinary child development services and began awareness programs and screenings.

Rising demand led me to establish Dhara Speech Therapy Clinic, later expanding through collaborations. In 2020, NSRCEL’s Women Startup Program at IIM Bangalore supported the founding of Threysol.

Introduce us to Threysol. Tell us about your role in driving its growth and impact in tier-2 cities?

Threysol is a child development services provider, dedicated to delivering high-quality diagnostic and therapeutic solutions to children aged 0–8 years with developmental needs and delays in tier-2 cities across India. We have established ourselves as a trusted partner in the pediatric rehabilitation sector and extend our services through collaborations with fellow rehabilitation practitioners and educational institutions in semi-urban India.

As Founder and CEO of Threysol, I lead the organization’s vision, strategy, and growth while ensuring the delivery of high-quality, holistic child development services. I oversee clinical excellence, operations, and multidisciplinary team management, drive innovation in therapy approaches, and build partnerships with educational institutions and rehabilitation practitioners in tier-2 and semi-urban cities.

What challenges have you faced, and how are you addressing them?

One of our main recurring challenges has been on the supply side. Initially, recruiting domain-specific specialists for our centres was difficult, even with competitive pay comparable to metropolitan cities. This led to an innovative solution: our “Assisted Therapy Services,” a transdisciplinary model designed to deliver Speech Therapy effectively and bridge the gap between children and specialists, for which we received a provisional patent.

Another challenge was integrating technology to scale services. We developed “ThreyaConnect” for scheduling and parent access to home-based plans, but limited technical expertise slowed deployment.

To overcome this, we collaborated with PGP students from IIM Bangalore and joined a Microsoft-led hackathon to develop an AI-enabled MVP. Ensuring sustainability remains critical; as a bootstrapped organization, we closely monitor finances to maintain operations.

What key milestones have shaped your journey? What has been the backbone of your success as an entrepreneur?

Our first major milestone was being recognized among the top 200 ventures incubated at NSRCEL IIM Bangalore under the Women Startup Program 3.0. We successfully sustained the Tirupati branch despite operational challenges, while the Vellore centre was closed due to specialist shortages. In 2024, we conducted the 8th edition of AUTCON’24 at our Hosur main branch as a hybrid collaborative hub with NISHTA Integrated Neurodevelopmental Centre, Chennai.

We also organized developmental screening camps in remote villages with Lokaa Foundation and initiated collaborations with autism centres in Nizamabad and Hanumakonda.

My recognitions include Best Clinical Supervisor Award (2017), Sthree Shakthi Award (2023–24), and being a semi-finalist in the Women’s Doubles Badminton Tournament (2024).

My Husband has been my backbone, supporting me through the highs and lows in my entrepreneurial journey. My son has been equally supportive. He displayed the maturity from a very young age and let me pursue my passion without complaining about my absence when he needed me the most. My leadership team has also been a supportive presence in my journey.

What is the future of innovative pediatric rehabilitation solutions in India?

According to a 2016 Lancet Global Health study, India is among the three countries with the highest number of children at risk of developmental delays. The country also faces a severe shortage of pediatric rehabilitation professionals. A Times of India article dated November 24, 2020, noted that while nearly 50 million individuals require Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology services, only about 5,000 professionals are available.

This gap highlights the urgent need for alternative and innovative care models, especially in semi-urban and rural regions where research remains limited. Technology-enabled solutions such as LMS platforms and therapy applications can improve early detection, multidisciplinary collaboration, and personalized interventions. Alongside technology, expanding training institutions, specialized courses, and continuous upskilling programs is critical to building workforce capacity and meeting India’s growing rehabilitation needs across tier-2 regions.

Sai Harika Boppana, Founder & CEO, Threysol

Sai Harika Boppana is the Founder & CEO at Threysol, a preeminent child developmental service organization focused on children in the 0-8 years age group in tier-2 and semi-urban cities in India. She brings her strong background in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology and began her work life as a speech therapist with a focus on autism intervention.