A small news item on the front page of Sunday’s edition of O Heraldo caught my attention. Miss Deaf India 2023, Vinita Shirodkar, a young deaf woman from Morjim, will go on to compete in an international beauty pageant in South Africa and Tanzania, home to many citizens of Goan origin. The article rightly mentioned that Vinita’s achievement is a matter of pride for Goans. In particular, it is a moment of pride for the deaf community in Goa. My sister Janice, a young deaf adult, was excited to read the news.
Little known to many, the deaf community in Goa is an active, vibrant one. The Goa Association of the Deaf (GAD), of which my sister is a member, hosts many activities, from badminton tournaments and Women’s Day to awareness activities such as menstrual wellness for deaf women. Conceived in 2009, the organization aims to build awareness, opportunities, and community, the three pillars of any constructive society.
It was through this very organization, that my sister met Vinita and interacted with her as fellow members, organizing and participating in events, together.
I believe Vinita grew up with an aspiration to win a beauty pageant, which has been a vehicle to express talent and gain recognition, especially, for women of marginalized communities. The Miss World pageant of 1970, for instance, created waves for two reasons. The Women’s Liberation Movement made headlines for their spirited protest against the pageant’s objectification of women. On the other hand, the first black woman, Miss Grenada, was crowned Miss World.
Vinita’s victory in Miss Deaf India’s pageant’s 10th edition, has opened a whole new world for this aspiring deaf woman from Goa, who loves travel, painting, and dancing. It will give her the wings to fly. It will also open the eyes of many, to the potential of people with deafness, to live an aspirational, engaged, full life. Special kudos to Vinita’s mom, a small business owner in Morjim for supporting her daughter’s dreams.
It is the sheer drive and hard work of deaf people, their parents, teachers, and mission-driven communities like GAD, that enables them to thrive in a highly inaccessible world.
But the struggle is real and hard due to lack of relevant education, inclusive jobs, healthcare, transportation, opportunities, and accessible environments.
According to the World Health Organization, India’s deaf population is 6.1% of the entire country’s population. This translates to 63 million people, not a small number by any measure.
To change the status quo, we need thoughtful public and private sector investments in building high-quality, accessible education for deaf children. We need more bridge programmes for deaf adults who dropped out of school, but aspire to build skills and join the workforce. Transportation and healthcare are two more areas where technological and universal design interventions can be transformational.
Delhi’s Metro network, for instance, is a fine example of a transportation system that is fully accessible for deaf people. You can see groups of deaf students animated communicating with each other in Indian sign language while travelling to their institutes.
With better access to opportunities, community, non-judgmental, accessible environments, and design thinking applied effectively to all systems and environments, the sky is the limit for deaf children and adults who aspire to reach their full potential.
