When we talk about epilepsy care, we often focus on seizure control. But there is so much more to living with epilepsy — memory, attention, learning, emotional wellbeing, and cognitive function. This is the world of neuropsychology, and for the first time ever in South Asia, a comprehensive international training course on neuropsychology in epilepsy was held right here in Mumbai.

The Neuropsychology in Epilepsy Training (N.E.T) 2026, held from 19–21 March 2026, brought together some of the finest minds in epilepsy and neuropsychology from across the globe — and Samman Association was proud to be one of the organising partners alongside King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital and NH SRCC Children’s Hospital.

Neuropsychology plays a critical role in epilepsy — from understanding how seizures affect the brain’s cognitive functions, to guiding decisions around epilepsy surgery, to supporting rehabilitation after treatment. Yet in India and across South Asia, structured, high-quality training in this area has been virtually absent — until now.

The N.E.T course was designed to fill exactly that gap. Built around didactic lectures, case discussions, and interactive learning, it gave practicing psychologists, neurologists, pediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons, and psychiatrists a deeper, more specialised understanding of neuropsychology in the context of epilepsy care.

What made this course truly special was the calibre of international faculty who travelled to Mumbai to teach:

Prof. Mary Lou Smith — The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto; Chair, ILAE Neuropsychology Task Force

Prof. Sallie Baxendale — UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UK

Dr. Shivani Sharma — UCLH NHS Foundation Trust & International Bureau of Epilepsy, UK

Prof. Marla Hamberger — Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, USA

Prof. Sarah Wilson — Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia

The in-person programme was carefully structured so that each day had a distinct focus:

Day 1 — 19th March | KEM Hospital Adult Neuropsychology in Epilepsy — focusing on adult assessment and rehabilitation, primarily for practicing psychologists.

Day 2 — 20th March | NH SRCC Children’s Hospital Pediatric Neuropsychology in Epilepsy — exploring assessment and rehabilitation in children, for psychologists and pediatric neurologists.

Day 3 — 21st March | KEM Hospital Neuropsychology for Epilepsy Surgery — a deep dive into clinical aspects for neurologists and neurosurgeons involved in epilepsy surgery programmes.

The in-person days were preceded by two online preparatory sessions on the Fundamentals of Epilepsy and the Fundamentals of Neuropsychology — mandatory for psychologists and open to all professionals.

The Course was organised by Dr. Urvashi Shah, Clinical Neuropsychologist at KEM Hospital and NH SRCC Children’s Hospital — and a senior member of the Samman’s Managing Committee — who brought this vision to life with remarkable dedication.

In a moment that made us especially proud, paintings created by Samman patients Nitika Poddar and Ananya Harlankar were gifted to the international faculty delegates — a beautiful gesture of community pride, and a reminder that at the heart of all this clinical expertise are real people, real lives, and real stories.