Actor Ranveer Singh has always had the reputation of being super quirky and full of energy, but did you know that he is also a lot into social work? For the unversed, Ranveer has been very active when it comes to raising the issues that the deaf community in India faces. He has also been rooting for Indian Sign Language (ISL) being declared as the 23rd official language of India. In fact, it is heard that the star has also signed a petition to create more awareness regarding the same. Meanwhile, Ranveer is all praise for the steps taken by Indian leaders in making textbooks and other educational material available for deaf kids using sign language.
Speaking about the same, Ranveer says:
The news of NCERT textbooks being made available digitally in ISL for students in standard 1-5, is a huge step forward in a truly inclusive society. Inclusivity leads to accessibility and our leaders identifying this requirement makes me proud and hopeful for what’s to come in 2022.
With the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) signing an MoU with the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), educational material using sign language will now be available to deaf children. Availability of NCERT textbooks in Indian Sign Language (ISL) will make sure that no hearing-impaired child is left with limited access to educational resources. This will also prove to be a very important resource for teachers, parents as well as the hearing-impaired community as a whole.
Ranveer adds:
The National Education Policy 2020 is a progressive move much needed by the Deaf community and the nation and I commend this big step. This is an important start to equalise the playing field for the 70 lakh + citizens of the Deaf community. With my personal endeavour at IncInk, I will continue to be the loudspeaker for the community till their basic rights are met… and we are slowly but surely getting there.
Besides other efforts, Ranveer also has an independent record label IncInk formed with Navzar Eranee. Through it, he has released many sign language music videos when no other record label has done so. I must say, Ranveer has yet again proved that he is a total surprise package. Seeing this side of Ranveer is truly heartwarming. The deaf community in India too appreciates the efforts being made by the actor and I hope that some day, ISL does become an official language in our country.