Specific Intervention Programs for individuals with Autism are few in our country. The growing need to serve the unique needs of the individuals with autism motivated Vanitha S Rao to start Sunshine. It started in 1995 as an integrated school with the aim of teaching preschool children with autism in an inclusive environment. Simultaneously one-to-one sessions aimed at holistic development were also carried out.

In 2001 Sunshine felt the need for extending its services to more children with autism and it was converted from being an inclusive school to a center exclusively for children with autism. Sunshine has toiled ceaselessly without fanfare and has now grown considerably. In April 2005, Sunshine Autism Trust was formed for better management of the school.