Advancing Indian Sign Language - Breaking Barriers in Communication : Smt. Brighty Bulah Gunapati

In a country as diverse as India, communication plays a vital role in fostering inclusivity.

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Yet, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, language barriers persist, limiting access to education, employment, and social integration.

My first knowledge of the existence of a sign language was through the long-standing Doordarshan TV weekly news bulletin. Which was one of the most well-known ways to introduce audiences to sign language. Later it was a very joyful experience to study the sign language in my bachelor’s degree in the subject of Hearing Impairment. The thought that this community could be helped to survive with the sign language was always a propelling motivation to me. While spoken languages dominate, Indian Sign Language (ISL) has been making strides in bridging these gaps—but much remains to be done.

The Growing Importance of ISL

For newborns with congenital hearing loss, the most common surgical intervention is cochlear implant surgery. This procedure treats sensorineural hearing loss—a condition caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve. A cochlear implant bypasses the damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, enabling the brain to process sound.

Cochlear Implants Market survey says that globally, over 1,60,000 children have received cochlear implants, significantly enhancing their ability to develop speech and communication skills. However, many children still miss out on this procedure due to a lack of awareness or the mistaken belief that their hearing will improve naturally over time.