National Association of the Deaf (NAD) today pitched for an autonomous body for research and training in the sign language so that it can be used as an active form of communication and training.
With fluid hand gestures and expressive eyes, those with hearing impairments may have devised a language of their own, but they continue to find difficulties in establishing an autonomous body for research and training in the sign language.
As a proposal of National Association of the Deaf (NAD), formed in 2005, the group is demanding autonomy of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRT) to create an environment where the Indian Sign Language (ISL) can be taught and practiced, away from the oral methodology of teaching.
AK Narayana, NAD Secretary says that the present Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thanwar Chand Gehlot upon being approached, suggested that ISLRT be clubbed with National Insitute for Hearing Handicapped (NIHH).
"When we met Mr Gehlot, he openly said he said that we cannot have the institute as an autonomous body, but he said is that they could merge it with the NIHH," Narayanan said.
Following this, NAD called a meeting of top 50 deaf leaders across India, protesting the move to merge it with NIHH.
They met senior Cabinet Ministers including Nitin Gadkari, Arun Jaitley and Thanwar Singh Gehlot today, to address the issue of autonomy for the training centre.
"We met Mr Nitin Gadkari, addressed the issue to make him aware. He heard us and asked his assistant to write to Mr Gehlot lending his support to this move. We felt positive," said Zorin Singha, NAD President.
Pointing out to flaws of such a merger, Surinder Randhawa, who has been teaching the deaf for past 16 years says that such a move would rob the hearing impaired of higher positions in the organisation, for not fulfilling qualifications needs.
"NIHH will say that they need to hire people with certain qualifications which would be at par with a hearing person. This is unfair. They need to identify why a deaf person does not have a Master's or Bachelor's degree," said Randhawa.
The group has drafted a charter of demands which includes giving the status of a recognised language to ISL, interpretation of sign language on national news, issuing driving licenses to deaf people apart from the autonomy issue.
Narayanan shares that the process to bring ISLRT began in 2007; the then government felt that it was better to put it under Indira Gandhi National Open University's (IGNOU) supervision, but the arrangement lasted two years and a half.
"The central government felt that ISLRT would be able to function better if it is put under IGNOU's supervision and they made an amendment in the 11th Five Year plan," he said.
After a period of advocacy in favour of an autonomous centre, the government replied in affirmative by the end of 2013, openly declaring start of autonomous ISLRT centres, however the elections in 2014, which favoured BJP caused further delay to the plan.
Supporting the cause, many hearing impaired individuals, who have overcome their disability and have built successful careers, with the aid of sign language and interpreters, say that Indian is still not disabled-friendly unlike the west.
Shivaji, works in United Kingdom as a lecturer. A member of the World Federation of the Deaf, he says countries such as UK provide an equal space for everyone, they focus on the skill of the individual rather than the disability.
"Over there, the equality is very visible, provided everywhere, in all the public spaces, and all the time if I compare the situation between UK and India. Skills are valued. In India my friends cannot even acquire basic requirements," Shivaji said.
Others share similar stories about the conducive environment for the differntly abled in countries abroad in contrast to India.
An IT professional, Aqil Chinoy, son of deaf parents, said that the culture in the US made him want to work even better, giving him an equal opportunity to work with interpreters in each and every office in the US, but back home in India, there was no way for him to communicate with his boss and he was given a simpler job, despite his impressive resume.
