Are deaf people in B'luru 'heard' enough?

Chandra Prabhu | NT

Bengaluru: According to a study conducted this year, the population of the deaf community in India is approximately 63 million. However, their plight has remained miserable for a very long time.

Their identity in society hasn't improved a bit. People who can hear and talk are still not aware of sign language. On the occasion of international day of sign languages today, News Trail attempts to understand the issues of the deaf community.

Unfortunately, people from the community are resorting to lip-reading and gesture signing, as not many are aware of sign language. Also, education for the deaf in Bengaluru has not changed after 40 years, according to Ganesh Rao A, Vice President of the Karnataka State Deaf Welfare Association (KSDWA).

Speaking to News Trail, he highlighted the problems faced by the community. "There are more than 70% of deaf people who do not have basic education," he said.

"In the city, there are only nine schools, out of which four are English medium schools and five are Kannada medium." Rao, who is a graduate of the Sheila Kothavala Institute for the Deaf (SKID), said his alma mater currently has only 12 teachers and 200 students registered in the current academic year.

Rao's experience with sign language was tumultuous. "I was first taught American sign language when it was first introduced here. After graduating from the institute, I realized that not many people knew it. It was already difficult to communicate with those who can hear, and it was surprising that even the deaf couldn't understand me," he explained.

His knowledge of Indian sign language only came during his stint at Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). When asked about the state of schools for the deaf in the city, Rao explained how only nine of them, five being Kannada medium and four being English medium, are currently functioning.

"The Kannada medium schools are fully backed by the government, and the English medium schools are partly supported," he said.

He alleged that the teachers in these schools easily get discouraged due to low pay, often leaving in the middle of the academic year. "This puts the children in a difficult position," Rao added.

The community usually finds it difficult to communicate with the hearing community due to the latter's lack of knowledge of sign language. This is where interpreters bridge the communication gap. However, Ganesh Rao painted a grim picture of the growing communication gap.

"All my life, I have met only two interpreters in this city," Rao said. This meager number of interpreters makes it very difficult for people like us to access basic necessities.

Rao recalled a court incident where the interpreter charged him 500 rupees an hour. The KSDWA has put forth a list of demands to the Chief Minister of Karnataka and the Minister for Empowerment of Differently Abled.

Issues like unemployment and the promotion of Indian sign language are the key highlights in the demand letter. Rao explained the former with regards to the level of education a deaf individual holds.

"80 percent of deaf individuals do not know how to read and write, and their chances of employment are low. The other 20 percent are well versed in reading and writing, which gives them an advantage. The condition of these people has been the same for 40 years, and upliftment is much needed."