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| Nagpal founded ‘Atulyakala’ for deaf artists |
Smriti Nagpal, a 25-year-old Indian woman who runs ‘Atulyakala’, a platform for deaf artists, has been chosen in the ‘BBC’s 100 inspirational women for 2015’.
The Delhi-based Nagpal joins celebrities such as Asha Bhonsle and Sania Mirza on the global list of 100. She has been selected for the under 30 category of young entrepreneurs.
Smriti Nagpal’s work as a sign language interpreter in India inspired her to set up Atulyakala. India has the largest number of deaf population in the world and Smriti has worked within the deaf community as an interpreter for eight years, after which she started ‘Atulyakala’ along with a few deaf artists at the age of 22.
When asked about her inspiration to start the platform she told The Times Of India that “My two older siblings are hearing impaired so I grew up in an environment where I had to use sign language, and by the age of 16 I had started working as a sign language interpreter with National Association of the Deaf.”
‘Atulyakala’ is a socially responsible brand that co-creates products with deaf artists in India empowering them to live a life of dignity and pride. The organization sells products such as bags, mugs, wallets and journals by deaf designers.
The enterprise also has a design studio that takes up client projects related to branding, design, curation and illustration for publishing houses. They have been conducting events about inclusion and spreading awareness about sign language too.
BBC quoted her giving advice for anyone wanting to follow her footsteps: “See few dreams and follow them with all your heart, and then the world will be right there, all yours!”
Agricultural entrepreneur Rimppi Kumari, Hindi film and television actress Kamini Kaushal, Mumbai-based right to pee activist Mumtaz Shaikh and Kanika Tekriwal, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who founded JetSetGo, India’s first and only marketplace for private jet planes and helicopters, are other four Indian women in the list.
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