3rd NCDB 2025
- Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am delighted to share a positive report on the 3rd National Conference of the Deaf-Blind (NCDB) 2025, hosted by the Society for the Empowerment of the Deaf-Blind (SEDB) India. This significant event, funded by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPWD) and supported by the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Vidya Sagar, and Chetana Charitable Trust, took place in Chennai from January 31st to February 1st, 2025.
Each supporting organization played a crucial role in making this conference a success:
• Vidya Sagar, founded by Dr. Poonam Natarajan, handled all logistics and finances.
• NIEPMD, under the leadership of Director Dr. Nachiketa Rout, organized the participation of esteemed chief guests.
• Chetana Charitable Trust, founded and led by Dr. Namita Jacob, took care of the program and overall arrangements, including accessibility, conference kits, participant registrations, and tactile signing interpreters.More than 40 deafblind participants, along with their interpreters from across India, attended the conference at Dhyana Ashram, Chennai. The keynote was delivered by Smt. Geeta Sharma, Vice President of the National Association of the Deaf. A person with Usher Syndrome herself, she spoke with passion and conviction, connecting deeply with every member of the audience.
A hearing representative, Andesha, from ISLRTC, New Delhi, attended this event to learn about tactile signing interpreting services. Mr. Raja, Co-founder of V-Shesh, spoke about employment efforts while Mrs. Leelavathi and Mr Subbaiah spoke about government schemes.
SEDB played a crucial role in reaching out to the deafblind community and coordinating with all the participants. Deafblind leaders and advocates, including myself, Mr. Pradip Sinha, and Mr. Sunil Abbas, actively contributed to important discussions on our rights and facilitated other deafblind members in sharing their experiences. It was inspiring to see so many members of the SEDB community passionately advocating for their rights.
A notable highlight was that all deafblind participants traveled independently to Chennai by train and flight—a testament to their empowerment and confidence.
The Chetana Charitable Trust team, under the leadership of Dr. Namita Jacob, in partnership with SEDB, conducted a survey with all deafblind participants, collecting valuable data that will be compiled into a report for government officials to strengthen advocacy and employment opportunities for the deafblind community.
The inauguration ceremony on January 31st, 2025, at NIEPMD Chennai, was graced by the presence of our esteemed Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, who attended to support SEDB and our cause. With high security in place, the Vice President lit the ceremonial lamp to officially open the conference—the first of its kind in India for the deafblind community.
Another memorable moment of the event was when Ms. Varsha Pattem, a DeafBlind individual, along with her husband, Mr. Murugesh Pattem, presented a handcrafted purse bag designed by Ms. Varsha to the wife of the Honorable Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, at NIEPMD. This unique bag, made using intricate crochet techniques, was a proud representation of the skills and artistry of the DeafBlind community.
I had the honor of delivering a speech welcoming the Vice President, government officials, and all deafblind participants. I spoke about SEDB, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016, and the significance of accessibility for the deafblind community in India. Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed his admiration and deepened his understanding of our community’s needs and aspirations.
• The first NCDB in 2020 was a good start.
• The second NCDB in 2023 showed progress.
• The third NCDB in 2025 has been the best so far, with the largest number of deafblind participants!Another memorable moment was the drum circle organized by Yoga Thalam, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the participants.
This has been a dream come true for me, and I am incredibly grateful to Pradip and Sunil for their efforts in bringing so many deafblind friends together. As a special gesture, Sunil Abbas and his wife, Rachael Sunil, gifted mobility kits to all deafblind participants.
The conference was filled with learning, laughter, and meaningful conversations. It was truly a milestone for the deafblind community in India.
Warm regards,
Zamir Dhale
Founder, Project Director & Advocacy Consultant, SEDB India
Asian Representative, World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB)