Notify norms to make films accessible to hearing, visually impaired: Delhi High Court to Centre

29.04.2024, The court said accessibility was enforceable as a legal right and that even private parties have to take reasonable measures to enable greater accessibility for persons with hearing and visual impairments

The Delhi High Court has given the Centre time till July 15 to notify the guidelines for making films accessible to the hearing and visually impaired.

The court said accessibility was enforceable as a legal right and that even private parties have to take reasonable measures to enable greater accessibility for persons with hearing and visual impairments.

The court observed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has framed draft guidelines for accessibility standards in cinema halls for persons with hearing and visual disabilities and is in the process of finalising the same.

“The guidelines shall now be finalised by the MIB and shall be notified on or before July 15, 2024. It is made clear that the said guidelines shall make the provision of accessibility features mandatory and provide a reasonable period for compliance by all stakeholders, in an expeditious manner,” the court ordered.

The court’s order came on a petition by four people with visual and hearing impairments who sought directions on making films accessible to them.

The petitioners argued that though various rights have been recognised for ‘persons with disabilities’ under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, most films which are released in India do not cater to disabled persons despite the statute having been enacted more than five years ago.

The MIB had issued various directions to the film producers’ association and to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in October 2019, to use audio description and subtitles/closed captions in all films.

In a first in Catholic churches in India, deaf & speech-impaired ordained as priest in Kerala

03.05.2024 Thiruvananthapuram: When Joseph Thermadom was ordained as a priest by the Thrissur archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic church in Kerala on Thursday, it also marked history as he is considered to be the first deaf and speech-impaired person to be the first deaf and speech-impaired person to become a priest of the Catholic church in India.

A native of Thrissur in Kerala, Thermadom was ordained as a priest at Our Lady of Dolours Basilica in Thrissur by metropolitan archbishop of Thrissur Mar Andrews Thazhath on Thursday.

Born deaf and speech-impaired, Thermadom, who is 38, did his theology studies at the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf Apostolate in the United States. He then served as deacon and made the first religious profession in 2020 at the Holy Cross Novitiate at Yercaud in Tamil Nadu. He did his final profession in last August. He conducts prayers in sign language.

Thermadom, who is the son of Thomas and Rosy, did his studies in Mumbai. He did BSc before pursuing theological studies. Later, he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross.

"The 'final profession' of Thermadom made history in the Congregation and possibly in India, as he became the first deaf person to make the 'final profession' in the Congregation of Holy Cross. He is also probably the first finally professed religious who was born deaf in India," according to the Congregation.

காஷ்மீர் கிராமத்தின் வாய்பேச முடியாத 3 சகோதரிகள் முதல்முறை வாக்களிக்க ஆர்வம்

19.04.2024 தோடா: ஜம்மு காஷ்மீரின் தோடா மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள கந்தோ கிராமத்தைச் சேர்ந்த மூன்று வாய்பேச முடியாத சகோதரிகள் இன்று முதல் முறையாக வாக்களிக்க ஆவலுடன் காத்திருக்கின்றனர்.

2024 மக்களவை தேர்தலின் முதற்கட்ட வாக்குப்பதிவு இன்று ஜம்மு காஷ்மீரின் உதம்பூர் தொகுதியில் நடைபெறுகிறது. இதில் பாஜக சார்பாக மத்திய அமைச்சர் ஜிதேந்திர சிங், முன்னாள் காங்கிரஸ் எம்பி சவுத்ரி லால் சிங், ஜனநாயக முற்போக்கு ஆசாத் கட்சி சார்பாக முன்னாள் அமைச்சர் சரூரி உள்ளிட்ட 12 வேட்பாளர்கள் களமிறங்கியுள்ளனர்.

உதம்பூர் தொகுதிக்கு உட்பட்டது தோடா மாவட்டம். இங்கு 105 குடும்பங்கள் வசிக்கின்றன. இவர்களில் 55 குடும்பங்களைச் சேர்ந்தவர்களில் பலர் காது கேளாத மற்றும் வாய்பேச முடியாதோர் ஆவர். இப்படி இந்த கிராமத்தில் வசிக்கும் 43 பெண்கள், பத்து வயதுக்கு உட்பட்ட 14 குழந்தைகள் என மொத்தம் 84 காது கேளாத மற்றும் வாய்பேச முடியாதோர் உள்ளனர்.


இத்தகைய குறைபாடுகளை கடந்து தோடா மாவட்டத்தின் கந்தோ கிராம வாசிகளான ரேஷ்மா பானோ (24), பர்வீன் கவுசர் (22), சைரா கதூன் (20) ஆகிய மூன்று காது கேளாத மற்றும் வாய்பேச முடியாத சகோதரிகள் நிச்சயம் தங்களது ஜனநாயக கடமையை இத்தேர்தலில் நிறைவேற்றுவோம் என்று உறுதிபூண்டுள்ளனர்.


வீடு தேடி வரும் அனைவருக்கும் தங்களது வாக்காளர் அட்டையை காண்பித்து சைகை மொழியில் எப்படி வாக்களிக்க வேண்டும் என்பதை விளக்கி உள்ளனர். முதல் முறையாக வாக்களிக்கும் உற்சாகத்தில் இருக்கும் இந்த சகோதரிகளை கண்டு ஒட்டுமொத்த கிராமமும் உத்வேகம் பெற்றிருப்பதாக கிராம வாசிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

தங்களது கிராமத்தில் 100 சதவீத வாக்குப்பதிவு நடைபெறும் என்றும் அவர்கள் கூறியுள்ளனர்.

பிறவியிலேயே காது கேளாத பிள்ளைகளுக்குச் செவித்திறன் அளிக்கும் மரபணு சிகிச்சை

25.04.2024 ஷாங்காய்: சீன நிறுவனம் ஒன்று, பிறவியிலேயே காது கேளாத பிள்ளைகளுக்குக் கேட்கும் திறன் அளிக்கும் மரபணு சிசிச்சையை வெற்றிகரமாகச் சோதித்துள்ளது.

அந்தச் சிகிச்சை முறையின் வெற்றி குறித்து புதன்கிழமை (ஜனவரி 24) ஆய்வாளர்கள் பகிர்ந்துகொண்டனர்.

ஆறு பிள்ளைகளுக்குச் சிகிச்சை அளித்ததில் ஐந்து குழந்தைகளுக்குச் செவித்திறன் கிட்டியதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது.

சிகிச்சை முடிந்த ஆறு மாதங்களில் அவர்களது பேசும் திறனிலும் முன்னேற்றம் காணப்படுவதாகத் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

‘ரெஃப்ரெஷ்ஜீன் தெரப்பியூட்டிக்ஸ்’ நிறுவனம் மேற்கொண்ட இந்த சிகிச்சை முறை குறித்த ஆய்வுக் கட்டுரை ‘தி லேன்சட்’ சஞ்சிகையில் வெளியாகியுள்ளது.

“இந்த ஆய்வின் முடிவுகள் உண்மையாகவே சிறப்பாகக் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கவை. குழந்தைகளின் கேட்கும் திறனும் பேச்சுத் திறனும் ஒவ்வொரு வாரமும் வியப்பளிக்கும் வகையில் மேம்பட்டதைக் கண்டோம்,” என்று ஹார்வர்ட் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் மாஸ் கண், காது மருத்துவக் கல்விக் கழகத்தைச் சேர்ந்த ஆய்வாளர் செங் யி சென் கூறினார்.

சோதனை சிகிச்சையில் கலந்துகொண்ட குழந்தைகள் அனைவருமே ‘ஓட்டோஃபெர்லின்’ எனும் மரபணுவில் ஏற்பட்ட மாற்றத்தால் பிறவியிலேயே காது கேளாதவர்கள்.

மனிதர்கள் செவிமடுக்கும் ஒலிச் சமிக்ஞைகளை காதிலிருந்து மூளைக்குக் கொண்டுசெல்ல, ‘ஓட்டோஃபெர்லின்’ புரதம் நன்றாகச் செயல்படுவது அவசியம்.

‘ஓட்டோஃபெர்லின்’ மரபணுவைச் சுமந்து செல்லும் தீங்கு விளைவிக்காத கிருமி ஒன்றை அறுவை சிகிச்சை மூலம் குழந்தைகளின் காதின் உட்புறம் செலுத்தி இந்தச் சோதனை மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது.

சோதனையில் பங்குபெற்ற ஆறு பிள்ளைகளில் ஐவருக்குக் கேட்கும் திறன் கிட்டிய நிலையில், ஆறாவது குழந்தைக்கு ஏன் இன்னும் காது கேட்கவில்லை என்று தெளிவாகத் தெரியவில்லை.

இந்த சிகிச்சை முறைக்கு குறுகியகாலத்திற்கு லேசான பக்க விளைவுகள் மட்டுமே இருக்கும் என்று ஆய்வாளர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர்.

காது கேளாத மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகளுக்கு வேலைவாய்ப்பு வழங்கிய கோவை நிறுவனம்

26.04.2024 சென்னை/கோவை: காது கேளாத மாற்றுத் திறனாளி மாணவர்களுக்கு கோவையைச் சேர்ந்த தனியார் நிறுவனம் வேலைவாய்ப்பு வழங்கியுள்ளது. சென்னை மாநிலக் கல்லூரியில் காது கேளாதவர்களுக்காக பி.காம், எம்.காம், பிசிஏ படிப்புகள் பயிற்றுவிக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. இவற்றில் சேர்ந்து படிப்பை முடிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு வேலைவாய்ப்புகளை ஏற்படுத்தி தர கல்லூரி நிர்வாகம் முடிவு செய்து, அதற்கான முயற்சிகளை முன்னெடுத்தது.

அதன்பலனாக பி.காம், பிசிஏ படிப்புகளை முடித்த காது கேளாத மாணவர்களுக்கு, கல்லூரி வளாகத்திலேயே சிறப்பு வேலைவாய்ப்பு நேர்காணல் கடந்த 3-ம் தேதி நடத்தப்பட்டது. இதில் 18 மாணவிகள் உட்பட 31 பேருக்கு வேலைவாய்ப்பு கிடைத்துள்ளதாக கல்லூரி நிர்வாகம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

இதுகுறித்து கல்லூரி பேராசிரியர்கள் கூறும்போது, ‘‘கோவையைச் சேர்ந்த `5கே கார் கேர்' நிறுவனம் 31 மாணவர்களை பணிக்காக தேர்வு செய்துள்ளது. அவர்களுக்கு சைகை மொழி மூலம் பயிற்சி அளித்து, பணியில் அமர்த்தப்பட உள்ளனர். வரும் ஆண்டுகளில் பெரிய தொழிற் நிறுவனங்களையும் தொடர்புகொண்டு, அதிக அளவிலான மாற்றுத்திறன் மாணவர்களுக்கு வேலைவாய்ப்புகளை பெற்றுதர முயற்சித்து வருகிறோம்’’ என்றனர்.

இதுகுறித்து 5 கே கார் கேர் நிறுவன மனிதவள மேலாண்மைப் பிரிவு அதிகாரி ரஞ்சித் கூறும்போது, ‘‘எங்கள் நிறுவனத்தில் பேச முடியாத, கேட்கும் திறன் குறைபாடுடைய மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகள் சிலர் ஏற்கெனவே பணியாற்றுகின்றனர்.

அவர்களது பணியில் எங்களுக்கு திருப்தி ஏற்பட்டதைத் தொடர்ந்து, பிரசிடென்சி கல்லூரியில் வேலைவாய்ப்பு முகாம் நடத்தி, காது கேட்காத மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகள் 31 பேரை தேர்வு செய்துள்ளோம். இவர்களுக்கு பயிற்சி அளித்து, உரிய பணி வழங்கப்படும். எங்கள் நிறுவனக் கிளைகளில் 300 மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகளை நியமிக்க உள்ளோம்" என்றார்.

Notify guidelines to make films accessible to people with visual and hearing impairment by July 15: Delhi HC to Centre

28.03.2024
The Delhi High Court has directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to finalise and notify on or before July 15 guidelines to make films accessible to persons with disabilities, such as those with visual and hearing impairment.

A single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba Singh said in a March 15 judgment, “It is made clear that the said guidelines shall make the provision of accessibility features mandatory and provide a reasonable period for compliance by all stakeholders, in an expeditious manner.”

As per an affidavit filed by the Union ministry on March 14, the guidelines titled “Draft Guidelines of Accessibility Standards in the Public Exhibition of Feature Films in Cinema Theatres for Persons with Hearing and Visual Impairment” are in the process of finalisation. The guidelines would be applicable for feature films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification for public exhibition in cinema halls/movie theatres for commercial purposes and its focus is not only on the content but also on the information and assistive devices needed by persons with disabilities to enjoy films in cinema theatres.

The high court’s directions came on a plea filed last year by a law student, two lawyers and a disability rights activist who sought the enforcement of various rights and accessibility requirements as prescribed under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. The plea had sought audio description, subtitles and captioning in Hindi for the OTT release of Pathaan allowing persons with hearing and visual disabilities to access the film.

Justice Singh said that in the meantime, if any representations are received by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for inclusion of accessibility features in films, “one Under Secretary from the MIB shall be nominated as the designated officer for receipt of such representations” and the officer’s contact details shall be published on the website by April 10 by the ministry.

The court directed that the representations received be responded to within three working days and that an attempt be made to ensure that even in the interregnum, while the guidelines are to be notified, “such features are included in features films, including on OTT platforms”.

“The Guidelines upon being notified, any remedies which the Petitioner or any other stakeholders would have, are left open, as this Court has not examined the validity or legality of the said guidelines which are yet to be notified and are only in draft form,” the court said.

Justice Singh referred to judgments of the Supreme Court and said they showed that accessibility is “crucial and is enforceable as a legal right”.

“Even private parties have to ensure that ‘reasonable accommodation’ measures are taken in order to enable greater accessibility for the hearing and visually impaired persons. A hearing or visually impaired person may get easy physical access to a film theatre but may not be able to enjoy the film at all if measures to make it enjoyable are not taken by the other stakeholders, including producers, theatre managers, OTT platforms, etc. The State has a positive obligation to ensure that all steps that are reasonably possible are taken in this direction,” Justice Singh said.

While disposing of the petition, the court said that if the notification is not issued by July 15, the petitioners are free to seek revival of the petition.

Visible signs of change: Scientific terms and concepts in Indian Sign Language are coming to the aid of hearing-impaired

Sumedha Sharma

How do you explain centrifuge in Indian Sign Language (ISL)? This was the simple question that a hearing-impaired student asked microbiologist Dr Alka Rao, who was visiting the School for Deaf Children in Gurugram in 2017. “We had no answer,” says Rao, Principal Scientist, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), Chandigarh.

A team of CSIR-IMtech, Chandigarh, has created signs and videos in Indian Sign Language to explain scientific terms and concepts

The question, however, prompted Rao and her six-member team — Digvijay Singh, Hoshiyar Singh, Sakshi Sharma, E Theresa Arulvathy, Vivekanand Jaiswal and Navjot Singh — to start working on the Indian Sign Language Enabled Virtual Laboratory (ISLEVL), a project that won the prestigious International Zero Project Award 2024.

The project made Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education accessible to the auditory-challenged community in India. Rao, who hails from Hisar, brought together her research group and sign language specialists to broaden access to science for auditory-challenged students in the country. The team has created more than 100 signs in sign language to explain scientific terms, besides 500 videos to explain scientific concepts.The question, however, prompted Rao and her six-member team — Digvijay Singh, Hoshiyar Singh, Sakshi Sharma, E Theresa Arulvathy, Vivekanand Jaiswal and Navjot Singh — to start working on the Indian Sign Language Enabled Virtual Laboratory (ISLEVL), a project that won the prestigious International Zero Project Award 2024.

The project made Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education accessible to the auditory-challenged community in India. Rao, who hails from Hisar, brought together her research group and sign language specialists to broaden access to science for auditory-challenged students in the country. The team has created more than 100 signs in sign language to explain scientific terms, besides 500 videos to explain scientific concepts.

In India, 6.3 crore people have significant auditory loss. Very few opt to study STEM subjects due to the challenges they face, including the lack of sign language for specific terms.

“In 2016, I met a social worker who headed the Gurugram branch of the Haryana Welfare Society for Persons with Speech and Hearing Impairments (HWSPSHI). I learnt about the gaps in STEM education for the differently-abled. A majority of them are talented but don’t have resources to study these subjects. This milestone will open new avenues,” says Rao.

Besides winning the Zero Project Award 2024, the team was also selected for ‘Scaling Solution Fellows 2024’, a new global initiative under Zero Project where they identify and promote such innovations that have the potential to be implemented globally and are high utility interventions.

Beginning with holding science workshops for the hearing-impaired children in Panchkula and Gurugram, Rao started working on developing signs for inclusion in the ISL. She was joined by a hearing- impaired administrative assistant at CSIR-IMTech in Chandigarh. He apprised the institute of his struggles with adjusting to the workplace. Thereafter, IMTech conducted its first sensitivity and inclusion workshop, which was aimed at training employees on making appropriate accommodation for the hearing- impaired staff members.

The CSIR later offered a sensitivity workshop and a basic course in ISL at all its 37 laboratories around the country. The effort was soon extended to the CSIR outreach programme ‘Jigyasa’, which was aimed at generating curiosity among schoolchildren and motivating them to opt for STEM subjects in higher education.

Rao and her team got hold of all resource material of this programme and translated it into sign language. Soon, even hearing-impaired students came under the ambit.

“At first, our scope was limited to translation. But soon, we realised that ISL had almost no vocabulary for STEM words. If a sign is available in another sign language, such as American or British Sign Language, we can adopt or adapt it. Otherwise, we create new signs,” adds Rao.

In 2022, IMTech started the first ISLEVL project with three hearing-impaired sign language specialists. The team went on to visualise a concept and create signs that depict defining features of a scientific word. This might include its structural or functional features, topology or both.

The project has benefitted more than 10,000 online users, including school students and teachers of HWSPSHI centres, besides 2,500 offline users and 10,000 video subscribers, says Rao.

And the answer is...

After almost eight years, the team has finally found an answer to the student’s query on centrifuge. In ISL, a centrifuge sign is made by a rotating two-hand shape with extended index fingers, which is used to show centrifugal motion, followed by the right hand in a flat, horizontal hand shape to show the layers of particles separating and settling to the bottom of a test tube.

The team also went on to create signs for terms like ‘xylem’, a word rooted in Greek and Roman language, not just depicting a stationary structure but also the process of transportation in plants. Similarly, to describe ‘algae’, a hand shape for alphabet A (for algae) is joined with the waving fingers of the right palm representing movement in water.

“We have struck a chord with the auditory-challenged community, which has now started accepting STEM as a career option, but we strive for a bigger outreach in the scientific community. We aim at getting increased involvement of the scientific community in creating STEM signs and content,” concludes Rao.

The Zero Project

An initiative by the Austrian non-profit Essl Foundation, the Zero Project focuses on researching and sharing innovative solutions that support the rights of people with disabilities globally. The project publishes an annual report of innovative solutions for persons with disabilities, holds an accessible conference annually to share these solutions, and partners with other organisations to support innovators in scaling their solutions globally.

In a first for high courts, Karnataka HC hears submissions from hearing impaired advocate

10.04.2024
For the first time in any high court, the Karnataka High Court on Monday heard submissions made by a hearing and speech impaired advocate, Sarah Sunny, via a sign language interpreter. The matter was heard by a single judge bench consisting of Justice Nagaprasanna.

The matter involved a case of dowry harassment in which the advocate was representing the wife, who is the complainant. Previously on April 4, the High Court had directed, “I deem it appropriate to direct the Registry of the Court to secure a sign language interpreter for the hearing and speech impaired Advocate on record. The Registry shall communicate to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and secure a sign language interpreter from the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing to be present to assist Miss Sarah Sunny, learned counsel, on the next date of hearing.”

After the proceedings on Monday, the bench had noted, “Counsel for the petitioner’s wife, Sarah Sunny had made elaborate submissions, through a sign language interpreter and the submission made by Sarah Sunny needs to be appreciated and the appreciation is placed on record though it is through the sign language interpreter.”

Previously, Advocate Sarah Sunny had made submissions before the CJI in a first for the Supreme Court in September 2023.

Bengaluru Badshahs lift 5th Deaf Indian Premier League title

New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI): Bengaluru Badshahs became the champions of the fifth Deaf Indian Premier League coveted trophy.

"Sportspersons are the messengers of peace, harmony and prosperity. Watching specially-abled athletes performing in the field brings one an ecstatic feeling", commented, Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Sachin Kumar Vaishya (IAS) during the Closing Ceremony of the 5th Deaf Indian Premier League, organised by the Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA) at Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu.

Sachin Kumar was the chief guest on the occasion, while Sher Singh ADDC Jammu and Ranjeet Kalra, Ace Sports Administrator and Member of J&K Sports Council were the guests of honour. Rajesh Dhar.

Media Manager JKCA; Baljinder Singh, Chief Sports Officer JKSC; Suraj Bhan Singh, Judo Coach and Pawandeep Kaur, Athletics Coach were the special guests.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Jammu said, "Everyone wants to contribute to society in one or the other way, adding as Administrators and the Officers dealing with offices and files is never a big task, however, performance of specially-abled athletes is always an uphill task.

"Specially-abled persons are the real heroes of society. They deserve appreciation and salutations," Sachin Kumar said.

Earlier, Ranjeet Kalra welcomed the chief guest and praised the organisers and the sponsors for holding the event in a most befitting manner.

Deaf Bengaluru Badshahs and Deaf Hyderabad Eagles emerged as joint winners of the title. However, Bengaluru Badshahs were declared the winners on toss of the coin.

Sudershan of Deaf Hyderabad Eagles was declared as the player of the final match and the best bowler, while Virender Singh of Bengaluru Badshahs and Umar Ashraf Beigh of Hyderabad Eagles was adjudged as the best Wicketkeeper/best Fielder of the League. Suhail Ahmed of Hyderabad Eagles, Deepak Kumar of Punjab Warriors and Sai Naresh of Chennai Blasters were awarded for Super Sixes, Most wickets in one match and Fastest Fifty respectively.

The chief guest, Sh Sachin Kumar and the guest of honour, Ranjeet Kalra alongwith the special guests distributed trophies, cash awards and individual medals among the players of the winners and the runners-up teams.

A cash prize of Rs 300000 (Three lakh) was presented to Bengaluru Badshahs and Hyderabad Eagles.

The League was held under the supervision of Sumit Jain, President IDCA, while Mirza Momin Beigh was the Coordinator of the event and Peerzada Shahid as the Translator.

While presenting the vote of thanks Sumit Jain expressed gratitude to Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor Sh Manoj Sinha, University of Jammu and J&K Sports Council for their large heartedness and cooperation in organising the cricket league.

He also thanked Deepak Gupta, President of Traders Federation Ware House for sponsoring refreshments for all the players on all four match days. (ANI)