RI Global in the News: Hindustan Times — Centre planning varsity for sign language research, disability studies

The government is planning to establish an Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre and a national university for rehabilitation and disability studies, Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said.

“We believe our policies and programmes should be proactive so that the persons with disabilities can integrate with the mainstream having financial, educational and skill-based support,” social justice minister Gehlot said while speaking at the Rehabilitation International World Congress at Edinburgh in Scotland.

“For needs and development of persons with disabilities, the Government is establishing an Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre as well as a National University for the Rehabilitation and Disability Studies,” he was quoted in a Social Justice Ministry statement.

Underlining that the government has renamed ‘Persons with Disabilities’ as ‘Divangjan’, he said, “helping people with disabilities to realise their full potential and to make them live a life of dignity, independence and satisfaction is our mission”.

“India remains committed to building an enabling environment for Divyangjan in all possible ways. From this platform, I wish to convey my nation’s strong message to the international community,” he said.