புதன், 31 ஜூலை, 2013

The universal language

Have you ever put your ears in silent mode ? Sounds a crazy question, right ? The gadgets of today all have silent mode. Right from mobiles, TVs, computers you can choose to turn off the sound when some irritating ad plays in youtube ad for the zillionth time, or you can mute your TV to answer your boss over phone that, you are working on that issue. But have you tried muting your ears ? Imagine a world without sounds. No car honks in signals, no screams when India wins a match, no need of worrying about scoldings that you may get from your girl friend for coming late and more importantly you can watch trailers of singam 2[for bollywood readers, insert any hifi multi masala-mix movie trailer] without any worries. You call it as 'peace'. Some call it as 'life'. Yes, I am speaking about people who cannot hear any sounds from birth. They are meant to be deaf, but we label them as deaf and dumb.



Recently I had an opportunity to see a video in youtube. Rume Roka of Noida Deaf Society delivered a speech in TEDx Gateway Mumbai in 2012. Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.

You can watch the video here :




Her speech made me to think on the question, how will we learn a new language if we cannot hear ? Hearing forms an integral part of language. And unfortunately for the kids who are born deaf, they continue to grow up as illiterate as they don't know any language. So, no language -> no school education -> no admission in engineering colleges -> no MNC placements. Life becomes a hell for them, as no one is ready to employ the deaf people. We cannot also blame entirely on the companies. When there are dumb employees who turn deaf to the problems of the company, how can the management be convinced to employ people who are actually deaf but not dumb ?

Ruma Roka saw this problem from a different perspective. She didn't posted the photos of deaf people in facebook and asking for 1 Like = 1 salute, 1 share = 1 prayer. Instead she really wanted to solve the problem. If you want to solve the problem of any system, you have to be a part of that system, said a famous blogger (its me only :P ) Ruma Roka entered into the world of silence, where she learnt sign languages. She was amazed by the talents that these people possess. Language is just a tool invented by man, and why should these people with special abilities be deprived of opportunities, just because of this man made tool. She educated them to be employable and as no good deeds fail, her years of toiling produced results. She is proud to say that many of her kids are now working in MNCs like Mphasis, Axis Bank, RBS. And she has transformed the lives of many deaf people through Noida Deaf Society.

Paulo Coelho, one of my favorite authors, says in the book Alchemist that, there is a universal language that every living thing can understand. I strongly feel that the language is love. Through love, you connect to every soul in this universe. Through love, you become complete. Through love, you become a revolutionary. Ruma Roka had learnt the universal language - love, the love for deaf people. We don't need to explore mars. The world will be a better place if we all learn this universal language.

Before you start learning this language, let me remember the words of Swami Vivekanandha


Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. Words are secondary.Thoughts live. They travel far. 

Sometimes all it takes to change the world is, a little idea that sparks in your mind.

6 கருத்துகள்:

  1. பதில்கள்
    1. Thanks GS :) The time taken to write this post is less than the time taken to watch that 9 minute video because of our internet connection :P

      நீக்கு
  2. Good one... 'Nothing wrong with you, you were just born with a different language' was a sensible and a true point... I had a different perception of them...

    --- Hari

    பதிலளிநீக்கு
  3. Great compilation, Shiva. I like the way you begin unfolding your thoughts towards the main theme.

    And seems you're reading a lot. Nice quotes!!

    -Vadivel

    பதிலளிநீக்கு