Every Step Counts – Every Word Counts

I came to know about TEACH Edu when Aman Sharma, a young social worker in the true sense, was awarded the Keshav Srushti Seva Puraskar in 2024 for his work among Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) youth, together termed as DHH (Deaf or Hard of Hearing). He had taken the first step in 2016 when he realised that DHH youth were assumed to complete education only up to 10th class and then take up any menial or simple job. They were not supposed to aspire for something higher in life.

For a carefree young technocrat living a comfortable life with a cushy job in JP Morgan this was a revelation when he had gone for a social service initiative under CSR. He realised that for the deaf child, every word counts. His/her issue is comprehension and not being trained to understand language and cross the huge social barrier of communication.

I was fortunate to be invited as Keynote Speaker for TEACH (Training and Educational Centre for Hearing Impaired) on 28th February 2026 for their first and innovative programme called “Lit Happens”. It was an intra-institutional language skills competition between four campuses of TEACH. For me, it was a window to our brethren, coming up in life cheerfully with firm resolve despite having begun their lives with a disadvantage. They just did not take part in the competition but also in energetic dances. Atmosphere was festive, participants full of verve and optimism, supporting each other despite competing with each other, a lesson we supposedly normal people need to learn.

The impact of TEACH in the lives of 100s of students is dramatic, to say the least. A Muslim mother, Shagufta Khan, was invited on stage to share her experience, She only repeatedly say that she was so obliged, she had no words enough to thank the team of TEACH. Why was she overwhelmed? Because, her doctor, her neighbours and school teachers had told her that her son cannot do much except take up some menial job after completing 10th class. But after getting educated by TEACH team, her son got an appointment in USA in a multinational tech company! They have many such inspiring examples.

While I was going through their website (teachedu.in) I found that about 6.3 crore people in Bharat are significantly Deaf and Hard of Hearing. This is about 6.3% of our population. Of these, fewer than 2% are trained in Indian Sign Language (ISL). Bharat has approximately only 400 specialized schools for deaf children. They have less than 1% of the higher education institutions accessible to them. Only 26% of them have regular employment. 60% of deaf leave school before giving their SSC board examination. 68% of them feel isolated at work place. And only 2% of the disabled have access to skill development programmes. For an inclusive society these figures are disturbing. This is why Aman Sharma’s project assumes significance.

He has not stopped at training these students and seeing to it that they rise in life to their full potential. The institution has multiple programmes – Higher education, Skill development, Social and Emotional wellbeing, and English Development Programme. All this ends up in good placements. His team at TEACH Edu has designed specific teaching programmes for them and turned them into electronic video teaching tools and written books. They are trying to see to it that various state governments can take these teaching tools to special schools. If their tools are used well, deaf and DHH students can learn with normal students. And normal students too can include them as one of their own, rather than isolating them. The success of this programme can be judged by the fact that they have 90% placement success.


Aman took the first step. But he is not alone anymore. His co-founder is also from JP Morgan Deepesh Nair. His colleagues from JP Morgan also went out of way to help him. Some of them are on the TEACH Edu board or are advisors. I quipped that for the first time I found so many MNC seniors of one company alone have come out to support a seva initiative. Such a brain and wealth drain from MNCs is welcome! His wife, Sonali Kaveri, who was running their home while Aman was busy setting up this project with a job in an MNC, too has resigned now and taken up responsibility in the institute.

The team’s vision is big. They wish to set up a university for DHH with every possible world class facility. I am sure, their dreams will become true one day.

Idea of sharing my experience is to tell the readers that we should not give up our struggle for our own good life, but also strive to do good to others. When we feel dejected and unhappy with the world around us, think of TEACH and such other organisations whose only fuel is optimism in human kind. Do not hesitate to take the first step. There are people waiting to join. Just walk. “Charaivati, charaiveti” – as our Vedic Rishis have told us.