Deaf Reach
Deaf Reach was founded in 1991 by J.S.K.Rao, with guidance from Mrs. Christine Lazarus, chairperson and M.L.A.'89-94, and initiated with five deaf youth, Hari Kumar, Anil Kumar, Ritesh Kumar, Nagesh and Moosa Kutty. Deaf Reach began by identifying potential leaders in the deaf community in Hyderabad and focused on empowering them with skills and training to better serve their community. For several years, part of this time in cooperation with UNICEF, Deaf Reach implemented an unique leadership training and mentoring programs in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. Programs included Leadership training, Adult Education, Computer training program, AIDS awareness, Job Placement, Interpreters training, Sign Language training, Deaf Awareness and counseling.
Deaf Reach pioneered India's first ever AIDS Awareness Program for the deaf, entitled “Relationships and Health”. The first such program was coordinated with Project Sign Post of Mumbai, the organization that first developed this unique non-verbal health education curriculum for the deaf. Project Sign Post then turned this project over to Deaf Reach.
- ADDITIONAL INFO:DEAFREACH's project Manager, J.S.K. Rao had been a member of the Rehabilitation Council of India's National Sub-Committee on Deafness. (A National policymaking Body under the Indian Government's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)More Deaf Reach ActivitiesFirst National Seminar on Billingualism in Deaf Education: Deaf Reach hosted the first ever National Seminar on Bilingualism in Deaf Education in March of 2001. This seminar is an historic one in that for the first time a seminar was conducted on Indian Sign Language(ISL) and its role in deaf education. This seminar was sponsored by the Rehabilitation Council Of India (R.C.I.). For a long time Sign Language was suppressed in India thus denying the Deaf in India access to education in their native tongue. This seminar paved the way for official recognition of ISL. The seminar was conducted by eminent Deaf Educator Dr. Madan Vashishta, former Superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Deaf and currently teaching at Gallaudet University, Washington D.C. and Dr. Ulrike Zeshan, a linguist from Germany who has done pioneer research on ISL. Several othe academics presented papers. Around 120 people participated including principals of Teacher Training Centre, teacher, professionals, p arents and deaf people. The two day seminar was inaugurated by Mrs. Mani Kumari Minister for Disabled Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh on 24th March.Centre for Research, Education and Empowerment for the Deaf (C.R.E.E.D.)DEAF REACH launched the Centre for Research, Education and Empowerment for the Deaf (C.R.E.E.D.) in April, 2001. The new centre was inaugurated by the First Lady of the State, Mrs. Haripriya Rangarajan. The centre, is housed on the 7th Floor of an office building comprising of two rooms. The office space was given by Mr. Bashiruddin Babu Khan a prominent builder and former Minister, rent free for a period of one year. The centre will house a computer centre (our second computer centre), a Sign language lab and library. Entrepreneur Development programs will also be conducted at this centre. Intergraph Corporation donated 15 used computers for the centre. Sign Language Classes, the first of its kind in the country will also be offered at this centre. Currently the centre is offering free computer training to deaf school children from poor families.
Anne Sullivan Excellence Awards for Teachers for the DeafEvery year on 27th June, we celebrate Helen Keller's birthday by hosting the Anne Sullivan Excellence Awards for Teachers for the Deaf. This event is an annual feature eagerly anticipated by the teaching community here in Hyderabad.
