Indian Sign Language (ISL) must be promoted and used more widely as a language of everyday citizenship so that deaf persons can participate fully and exercise their rights with dignity, Additional Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, said today. Addressing the celebration of Sign Language Day 2026 on the theme “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights”, organized by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), an autonomous body under DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, at Kedarnath Sahni Auditorium, New Delhi, Ms. Nanda emphasized the need to promote and increase the use of Indian Sign Language among citizens across the country.
Underscoring the importance of making ISL a more visible and widely used language in society, Ms. Nanda highlighted that greater familiarity with and use of ISL can strengthen communication, participation and inclusion of deaf persons in everyday life. Her message placed the wider use of ISL at the heart of creating an environment where deaf citizens can access education, opportunities and public life without communication barriers.
The celebration brought together government representatives, organizations of deaf persons, educators, professionals and other stakeholders to mark the importance of sign language as an essential means of communication and a pathway to the realization of human rights. The event also showcased a series of new initiatives and resources developed by ISLRTC to strengthen learning, education, research and access to Indian Sign Language.
Presiding over the program, Joint Secretary, DEPwD, Shri Rajeev Sharma, highlighted the increasing demand for ISL interpreters across various domains. He encouraged participants and stakeholders to actively use and disseminate the ISL resources developed by ISLRTC, emphasizing the importance of expanding awareness and access to quality Indian Sign Language resources.
Director, ISLRTC, Shri Kumar Raju, delivered the welcome address and highlighted the major achievements and initiatives undertaken by the Centre during the year. He welcomed the distinguished guests and participants to the program. On the occasion, Shri Harish Soni, Head of Department (Academic, Programs & Services), ISLRTC, welcomed Shri Chandrashekhar, National Organizing Secretary, Saksham, to the program.
Shri Saju Stephen, Secretary, National Association of the Deaf, appreciated the conversion of “Vande Mataram” into Indian Sign Language, describing it as an important step towards making the national song accessible to the deaf community. Shri Roshan Kumar, General Secretary, All India Federation of the Deaf, highlighted the global efforts to promote sign language and the rights of deaf persons, noting the World Federation of the Deaf’s connection with organizations across 141 countries. Smt. Uma Kapoor, President, All India Foundation of Deaf Women, encouraged ISLRTC to continue strengthening its work in the field of Indian Sign Language.
A major highlight of the celebration was the launch of a comprehensive range of ISL-based educational, research and knowledge resources. The first issue of the Journal of Indian Sign Language, featuring five research articles on deaf education and ISL, was released to promote research and knowledge dissemination in the field. An ISL rendition of “Vande Mataram” was also launched, making the national song accessible through Indian Sign Language.
To strengthen early learning, “Sanket Vatika” ISL Visual Books for Balvatika were launched along with books and digital resources aimed at promoting ISL development among deaf children in the 3–6 years age group. Additional teaching-learning material for the Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation (DISLI) and Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language (DTISL) courses was also released.
In collaboration with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Curriculum-Based Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Videos in ISL were launched, covering curriculum content from 14 textbooks for Classes 1–6 along with 100 Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) videos. Concept-Based Educational Videos in ISL for Classes 9–12 were also introduced to support the academic development of deaf students.
Taking accessible knowledge beyond the classroom, 300 books of the National Book Trust (NBT)—including stories, biographies and historical accounts—were made accessible in Indian Sign Language for deaf learners and readers. The ISL Dictionary was expanded into 11 additional languages, taking forward the objective of making the dictionary available across all 22 Scheduled Languages. ISLRTC also launched its direct encoder-based live streaming on PM e-VIDYA Channel No. 31, further expanding access to ISL-based educational content.
Together, these initiatives seek to create a comprehensive continuum of Indian Sign Language education and accessible learning—from the foundational years through school education—while strengthening the educational attainment and participation of deaf children and students.
The celebration also recognized the talent and achievements of deaf participants through the felicitation of 15 winners of the 9th Indian Sign Language Competition, representing deaf schools and training institutes from across India. The winners were presented trophies and certificates for their achievements in categories including storytelling, essay writing and joke-telling.
The program further brought lived experiences and creativity to the stage through cultural performances. A mime portraying the everyday challenges faced by deaf persons was particularly appreciated by the audience, followed by a dance performance.
The celebration of Sign Language Day 2026 thus brought together language, education, technology, research, culture and human rights around a shared vision of a more inclusive society. Through its expanding portfolio of educational resources, digital content, research initiatives and language tools, ISLRTC is working to strengthen Indian Sign Language as an enabler of communication, learning, participation and equal opportunity for deaf persons.
The program was attended by Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, Additional Secretary, DEPwD; Shri Rajeev Sharma, Joint Secretary, DEPwD; Ms. Richa Shankar, Statistical Advisor, DEPwD; Shri Kumar Raju, Director, ISLRTC; Shri Harish Soni, Head of Department (Academic, Programs & Services), ISLRTC; Shri Saju Stephen, Secretary, National Association of the Deaf; Shri Roshan Kumar, General Secretary, All India Federation of the Deaf; Smt. Uma Kapoor, President, All India Foundation of Deaf Women; Shri Chandrashekhar, National Organizing Secretary, Saksham; and representatives of deaf schools, training institutes and other stakeholders.