FLASH NEWS: நிலவின் தென்துருவத்தில் இறங்கிய சீன விண்கலம்; பாறை மாதிரிகளுடன் 25-ந்தேதி பூமிக்கு திரும்பும் **** சீனாவிடம் இருந்து தைவானை சுதந்திரமாக பிரிந்து செல்ல ஒருபோதும் அனுமதிக்க மாட்டோம் என சீன ராணுவம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது ***** அமெரிக்க ஆயுதங்களால் ரஷிய இலக்குகளை தாக்கலாம்.. உக்ரைனுக்கு அனுமதி அளித்த பைடன் ***** அமெரிக்காவில் நடைபெற்ற 'ஸ்பெல்லிங் பீ' போட்டியில் இந்திய வம்சாவளி மாணவர் புருகத் சோமா சாம்பியன் பட்டம் வென்று அசத்தினார் ***** கலவர வழக்குகளில் இருந்து பாகிஸ்தான் முன்னாள் பிரதமர் இம்ரான்கான் விடுதலை ***** நாட்டில் வெப்ப தாக்கத்திற்கு 56 பேர் பலி; என்.சி.டி.சி. அறிக்கை ***** அசாம் மாநிலத்தில் பெய்த கனமழையால் பிரம்மபுத்திரா நதியில் நீர்மட்டம் உயர்ந்துள்ளது ***** நாடு முழுவதும் 3-ந்தேதி முதல் சுங்கச்சாவடி கட்டணம் உயர்வு ***** இங்கிலாந்தில் இருந்து 100 டன் தங்கத்தை இந்தியாவுக்கு கொண்டு வந்த ரிசர்வ் வங்கி ***** பள்ளியிலேயே மாணவ-மாணவிகளுக்கு வங்கி கணக்கு: பள்ளி கல்வித்துறை அறிவிப்பு ***** பிரக்ஞானந்தாவின் வெற்றி வியக்க வைக்கிறது.. கவுதம் அதானி வாழ்த்து ***** திருப்பதி கோவிலில் 65 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட பக்தர்கள் 30 நிமிடத்தில் தரிசனம் செய்ய வசதி ***** சிக்கிமில் மீண்டும் ஆட்சியமைக்கும் எஸ்.கே.எம்? .. அருணாச்சலப் பிரதேசத்தில் பா.ஜ.க முன்னிலை ***** டெல்லியில் தலைவிரித்தாடும் தண்ணீர் பஞ்சம் *****

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Disability Is An Important Issue, Especially In India: Arwa Imtiyaz Bhat


Sixteen-year-old Arwa Imtiyaz Bhat from Kashmir valley is an immensely talented Class 10 student who gives voice to players who can’t speak or hear. Daughter of an auto rickshaw driver, Arwa first grabbed headlines, last year, when she helped a group of hearing and speech impaired badminton players by becoming their voice. A master of the sign language and an avid learner, Arwa helps players communicate. She is often seen at tournaments or travelling across the country with the players who need her help. She doesn’t charge a fee for her work, she does it for sheer happiness. So far, she has played an active role in the J&K team winning four gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the National Games for the Deaf in Ranchi. Some edited snippets from our conversation with Arwa.

You are still a student and living in Srinagar. What inspired you to become the voice of the hearing and speech impaired sportspersons in the state?


My mom is specially-abled and when she used to talk to me through sign language, in my childhood, I used to not able to get her. Gradually, I started understanding her hand movements. So you can say it is because of my mother that I choose to be the voice of hearing and speech impaired people and yeah, I want to say that my mother is my inspiration and this is the job I want to do.

It is because of my mother that I choose to be the voice of hearing and speech impaired people.

You’re sign language savvy, which helps you communicate with specially-abled players. Where did you learn it and why?

​This is all because of my mother. I didn’t take any classes in sign language, I learnt this from my mother by seeing how she communicates with the help of hand gestures. I picked up the sign language with time and now I am well versed in it.

I didn’t take any classes in sign language, I learnt this from my mother.

You’re associated with the All Jammu & Kashmir Sports Association of the Deaf. How do you balance your study and work?

​I do both… I study because I am a student and I want to learn more and more in my life and on the other hand, I also help the people in need because I love my job.

For your work you have to travel across the country. At 16 how do you manage to do that?

In the beginning, it was very tough for me to balance both my family and studies because I have to travel excessively. But eventually I managed, now I understand the way I have to juggle it all. I also manage the time for my studies because in today’s world knowledge is what keeps us updated, informed and makes us wiser in our decisions.

The world only needs a well-educated person who is able to do anything with his/her own intelligence and hard work.

What are the major challenges you have faced so far? Do you also have to deal with any financial stress in the family?

​There are many financial challenges in my family. My father is an auto rickshaw driver, my mom is a housewife, my elder brother is also an auto rickshaw driver and my youngest brother is a student in Class 5. We suffer to make the ends meet as my father’s earning is as low as Rs 200 per day. And honestly some days, my father doesn’t get any money so we all sleep empty stomach and wait for the next day for him to earn some money. Sometimes, it makes me cry when I see the situation of my family… Even when I am travelling for the job my uncle pays the bills. I always think that one day I will become successful and make them happy and will fulfill their every dream.

When the teams win, how do you feel? What does this job mean to you?


​When I started doing this job my father, my grandmother and my paternal uncle didn’t support me because they believed it’ll hamper my studies. But I convinced them. My school and teachers are unhappy when I go off to tournaments across the country and miss my classes.

My love for this job is stronger and it’s growing on me every day.

What do you think India lacks in terms of being more inclusive for people with disabilities?


​Coming from a financially backward family, having missed out on most of the fun childhood activities, due to financial constraints, I am brought up in an atmosphere where people make fun of the disabled. Disability is an important issue, especially in a developing country like India. The society lacks conviction in appreciating the struggles of the differently-abled. I have seen my mother being made fun of because of her disability and people teasing her for her condition, it’s an everyday struggle.

Disability is an important issue, especially in a developing country like India.

My motto is to give back to the society and help as much as I can. My aim is to study medicine, but that’s far from reality we all know that. Hopefully, one day, I’ll be praised for my job and the struggle will end.

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