The first department of occupational therapy (OT) was established at the King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEM) in Mumbai, India in 1950.
Mrs. Nimbhkar was a social activist who spent her early 30s at Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram.
She became interested in OT when she came across an article written by Ms. Helen Willard, a notable occupational therapist in the United States.
Institutions also began to offer OT at a master's level (ranging 2–3 years) beginning late 1990s.
Indian OT professionals work in a variety of practice settings including government and private hospitals, multi-specialty hospitals, rehabilitation centers, non-governmental organizations, special schools, outpatient clinics, and academic institutions.
One must also fulfil other applicable regulatory requirements such as obtaining a registration certificate from the council (if one is established in the state) before starting to practice.