About NAD
Indian Sign Language (ISL) Version

Who are We?

Learn about NAD in Indian Sign Language

First and foremost, N.A.D aims to be a body that is truly representative of all deaf people across India. This includes deaf people in every state in India. Currently in India there is not a strong deaf movement, so N.A.D. aims to rally deaf people in order to demand their rights from the Government and policy makers.

The rights of the deaf in India have been trampled upon without any organisation raising its voice and providing any relief to the deaf community in any sustainable tangible way and what little has been done is only scratching the surface of the urban deaf population. The signing deaf community has no real status within society.

While N.A.D. is still growing, it has already made significant steps towards improving the lives and quality of life of deaf people in India. There are already well over 2,500 members of N.A.D., with State Level Meetings hosted across India to recruit more members, inform current members and their families about N.A.D.'s work, and increase awareness among the general public.

Mission Statement

"Let us come together, know our rights and claim them"

Our Vision

  • To promote the rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in India
  • To foster a united front of deaf people across the different states of India
  • To promote equal rights at all levels and in all fields of life

Our Objectives

Advocate rights of the deaf in the areas of:

Interpreting
Employment
Access to news and entertainment media
Representation in advisory boards
Monitor implementation of central and state government laws
Provide consultation to government agencies on deafness
Help spread ISL classes in all cities and in schools
Operate youth leadership camps across the country
Hold biennial conferences to create a national agenda
Collaborate with other disability organizations
Help establish state and city level associations
Represent deaf people on an international platform

Our Work

Public Interest Litigations (PILs)

Working with Human Rights NGOs to file PILs in the Supreme Court on deaf education and promotion of Indian Sign Language and interpreters.

National Consultations

Organizing consultations on Deaf Education, Communication, Sign Language Interpreters, bringing together Government officials, experts, and the Deaf community.

Rights Education

Educational sessions on Rights and Law conducted in Sign Language, made into VCDs and disseminated amongst the Deaf across India.

Sign Language Interpreters Association

Launched India's first Association of Sign Language Interpreters in collaboration with JNU's Linguistic Department in June 2007.

State Level Meetings

Hosting meetings across India to recruit members, inform about NAD's work, and increase public awareness about the deaf community.

Government Lobbying

Lobbying Government bodies and policy makers to ensure that the rights of deaf people are taken into account in all relevant legislation and policies.

N.A.D Relies on Support

N.A.D relies on the support from its members and the general public at large. Your support enables us to continue our advocacy work and improve the lives of deaf individuals across India.

Join Us in Our Mission

Together, we can create a more inclusive India where every deaf individual can thrive and reach their full potential.