I am the founder of Deaf Bookwave, a community-led book club by and for Deaf individuals. I am currently an undergraduate student of psychology and English literature. My educational pursuits also reflect my broader interest in books and my commitment to advocacy, awareness, and inclusion of the Deaf community—including in the field of mental health.
Over the course of attending school and college, I experienced first-hand the gaps in India’s education system in meaningfully accommodating the needs of students with disabilities. During this time, I learned how to advocate for myself, connected with people and organisations working on issues related to disability rights and inclusion, and started to build a space for Deaf people to share their interests, socialise, and learn from one another.
Watch this video to follow a day in my life, from classrooms to community-building.
The Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretations for this video have been provided by Neha and Shivam Vadhera. Neha is a Deaf person, and she hails from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. She holds a Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language (DTISL) from the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre. Her interests include dancing and watching movies. Shivam is a sign language interpreter associated with the Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI) and EnAble India. Through his work, Shivam focuses on social inclusion.
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Know more
- Learn how the intersections of stigma and disability impact Deaf people’s access to mental health services.
- Understand how a rights-based approach to education centres the needs of marginalised students, including children with disabilities.
