A licensed occupational therapist in India and USA, Dr Priyanka Raikar founded the first private multidisciplinary clinic in Goa – Miracle: Paediatric Neuro Therapy Clinic in 2014 which has now two branches, offering services to children with disabilities and delays. An active member of various national and international organisations, she has also received various honours and awards during her illustrious career spanning 18 years
The year 2025 has come with many awards and recognitions for Dr Priyanka Raikar including the ‘Business Goa Award for Excellence 2025’ for ‘Championing Special Needs’ for her outstanding and exemplary work in paediatric neurology for children with disabilities and delays. Five years ago too, she had won ‘Women Business Diva Award’ as a runner up for first private venture of multidisciplinary clinics to help children with mild difficulties to disabilities in a Goa State Competition for Women Entrepreneurs of Goa organised by Goa Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) in association with Geno Pharmaceuticals and FIIRE in 2020.
As a licensed occupational therapist in India and USA this founder and proprietor of Miracle Paediatric Neuro Therapy Clinics, has been doing miracles at her clinics in Panaji and Margao. So far, she has dealt with hundreds of children in need, shaping their careers and bringing them to the mainstream of life. Apart from Goa and outside Goa, Dr Priyanka’s work extends to UK and USA.
“At Miracle Clinic we do assessment, evaluation and treatment of the patients. We also manage other professionals like occupational therapist, physiotherapist, special educator, psychologist, child nutritionist, behavioural therapist etc. Parental counselling and education for the diagnosis of the child and further evaluation, guidance for specific conditions or disorders, is done along with assessment of new referrals or attending to on call referral patients. We have OPD once a week,” says Dr Priyanka.
She mastered in Occupational Therapy with specialisation in Paediatrics and Neurology scoring 93.4% from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA in 2008 and won gold medals, awards and scholarships during her studies here. Earlier, in India, during her Bachelors’ degree in occupational therapy from Seth G S Medical College and K E M Hospital in Mumbai in 2006 she was among the first 3 % students in Maharashtra University. “I schooled from St Xavier’s High School in Mumbai,” she takes pride to add.
Dr Priyanka who has experience of over 18 years in India as well as internationally, explains, “I work with children with developmental delays which includes newborn to 18 years of age. I treat children with autism, learning disability, post surgery brain tumours, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, premature high risk babies etc,” She founded the first private multidisciplinary clinic in Goa in 2014 and branched out in two cities – Panaji and Margao offering her services as paediatric occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech therapist, child psychologist, sensory integration specialist, special educator, behaviour therapist and child nutritionist.
Dr Priyanka steals the credit for being the first Indian to be certified and licensed in ‘Handwriting without tears’ programme at Los Angeles. She has certification in Internationally Sensory Integration and Praxis Test and is also certified in Brain Gym 26 by Educational Kinesiology by UK and Ireland. Internationally trained in Neurodevelopmental Techniques in USA, she is registered in both the countries.
Trained at the world renowned Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, Pediatric Therapy Network Clinic & Therapy West Clinic in California, USA, she practiced as a senior occupational therapist at Every Child Achieves and Wellness Works in Hollywood, USA. She trained over 300 Masters and Bachelor Level Students from University of Southern California and University of California State Domiquez Hills by being their clinical supervisor and mentor.
In Mumbai during my 4.5 years of field work and clinical experience at G S Medical College and K E M Memorial Hospital, I have assisted, documented and treated in departments like Paediatric, Neurological, Orthopedic, Hemophilia, General Surgery, Cardiovascular, Thoracic, Psychiatry, De-Addiction, Plastic Surgeries and Hand Rehab,” recalls Dr Priyanka who has had experience of treating disorders like Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down’s Syndrome, TBM, ADHD, Dyslexia, Fragile-X Syndrome, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disorder, CNS and Spinal Tumors, Motor Neuron Disease, Meningitis, Guillian Barre Syndrome, Parkinson’s Disease, Fractures, Spinal TB, Prolapsed intervertebral disc, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Amputation, Breast Carcinoma, Myocardial Infarction, Unstable Angina, Schizophrenia, Mood Disorders, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Burns, Nerve Palsy, Skin Grafting.
An international joint secretary of Common Wealth Association of Health & Disability (COMHAD) UK, heading 56 countries since 2022 and she bagged the ‘Scroll of Honour’ in recognition of invaluable contribution with dedication towards the grand success of the 4th national conference of COMHAD India held in Goa. This year in February she received the ‘NavadurgaAward’ in Mumbai for ‘Pioneering in the field of Healthcare Research & Treatment for Children with Developmental Delays’ during the 222nd Birth Anniversary of Philanthropist Namdar Jagannath (Nana) Shankar Shet by the Akhil Bharatiya Daivadyna Samajjonati Parishad. In the same month, she was organising scientific committee member for 62nd OTICON Annual National Conference for All India Occupational Therapists Association.
For her outstanding contribution to the field of accessibility during ‘Autism Awareness Week’ in the State of Goa in 2022, she received National Midterm Recognition from Young Indians (Yi), an integral part of Confederation of Indian Industry which is a movement for Indian youth to come together to lead, co-create and influence India’s future. Over the last 19 years, Yi has become a dynamic community of over 3,300 young leaders across 54 city chapters.
Dr Priyanka was appointed as the ‘Member’ for ‘National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 (NCAHP) under Government of Goa’ last year. And was given ‘Scroll of Honour’ by Common Wealth Association for Health and Disability, UK in recognition of invaluable contribution with dedication, devotion and sincerity towards the grand success of the 4th National Conference of COMHAD India held in January 2024 at Goa where she was an organising secretary.
As co-convenor and speaker at the International Conference of Commonwealth Association for Health and Disability along with British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin on post covid-19 challenges for the challenged individuals with disabilities in 2021. “At Miracle we handled year-long project ‘Smart Handz’ to bring awareness, provide help and identify children having ‘Dysgraphia – Learning Disability’ including schools and analysing 780 handwriting samples,” shares Dr Priyanka who is creating organ donation awareness motivating over 720 persons to pledge for organ donation and 2000 for blood donation.
Dr Priyanka has been associated with various hospitals in Goa along with SETHU: Child Guidance Clinic in Goa. She has worked in North Hollywood, California too, with ‘Every Child Achieves Clinic and Wellness Works Inc for two years from 2009-11. In Mumbai she worked with ‘Listen: Pediatric Clinic, Priyanj – Special School, Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) and Seth G S Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital as student and intern as occupational therapist from 2001 to 2006. She is the vertical head for Accessibility (Goa Chapter) from 2020 till date. In the past she was vertical head for Gift An Organ (Goa Chapter). She has been taking a key role in participating with ‘Purple Fest’ since last two years.
