TEACH co-founder Deepesh Nair: If someone is deaf (or hard-of-hearing), his/her life could be a bit challenging. However, some people have come forward to help such disabled individuals. One such person is Mr. Deepesh Nair, co-founder of TEACH, and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) Prof. Yashwantrao Kelkar Youth Award winner for 2024.
To know about his initiative and good work, journalist Anurag Sason has an in-depth conversation with Mr Nair.
Here are some important excerpts from the exclusive interview. Scroll down to watch the complete interview in Hindi.
Q1) First of all, tell us something about your institute TEACH.
Deepesh Nair: TEACH (Training and Educational Centre for Hearing Impaired) is a higher education model that opens doors for deaf students, aiming to empower them with quality education and career opportunities.
The institute strives to build an equitable ecosystem for deaf and hard-of-hearing students to facilitate their higher education.
Q2) What triggered you to start TEACH?
Deepesh Nair: It all started in 2013 when a phone call changed my life.
I visited a school to teach deaf students. There, I realized that after 10th grade, a proper model to impart higher education to deaf students was absent. So, I decided to do something about it.
Our journey started in 2016, and today there are 400 students.
Q3) What are the challenges you are facing in running TEACH?
Deepesh Nair: Money and space are the two biggest challenges we face right now. We aim to set up a university for such students.
Q4) Are you getting any help from the government?
Deepesh Nair: We have not reached out to the government yet. But yes, we are searching for a proper channel to reach the government.
Q5) Have you thought about tie-ups with other higher educational institutions/universities?
Deepesh Nair: Recently, we have been trying to have a tie-up with IIT Roorkee. It is in the initial phase. We are very much open to it, so if any institute wants to come forward and tie up with us, it is more than welcome.
Q6) What are your plans for the future?
Deepesh Nair: Right now, we are in three cities, Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Our vision is to open a university for deaf and hard of hearing students. We want to provide a complete (educational) model for such students.
WATCH FULL INTERVIEW
About the author: Anurag Sason is an Indian journalist with experience in mainstream journalism. He has worked in newspaper, news agency, TV, news app (short video sharing app) and digital media. He tweets at @AnuragSason
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