Kolkata: Sign language interpretation has made its debut at Science City as the country's premier science centre strives to reach out to hearing- and speech-impaired people and become more inclusive.
Madhumita Manna, an interpreter for the hearing- and-speech impaired, who trained to communicate in sign language at Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech & Hearing Disabilities in Bonhooghly, translated the speeches by scientists, science communicators and dignitaries attending the inauguration of an international exhibition on vaccines at the Science City auditorium. Six students with speech and hearing impairment followed Manna as she lucidly explained what each dignitary said. Even when a presentation on the development of Covaxin was made with the lights in the auditorium turned down, a spotlight shone on her so that she could continue to communicate with those six guests in the audience.
"I only recently received my diploma in Indian sign language interpretation from the Rehabilitation Council of India, and the Science City assignment was my first," said Manna. "We are trying to make our activities more inclusive. The entire exhibition, ‘Vaccines Injecting Hope', is available at the hall in Braille for people with visual impairment. Going forward, we will continue to strive to make Science City accessible to everyone. Entry for children with disabilities is free at Science City and we organise special guided tours whenever there is a group of visitors with disabilities," said Science City director Anurag Kumar.
British Council director (East and Northeast India) Debanjan Chakrabarti applauded the initiative in making the programme more accessible and commended Manna for the task she performed effortlessly.
Like Science City, Birla Industrial & Technological Museum (BITM), also a constituent of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), is working towards an inclusive end as well. It has a gallery, called ‘World of Darkness', where blind people can experience the solar system through thermal sensors and Braille. While the Sun feels hot when touched, as one moves away from it to distant planets, they feel progressively cooler. "We took the help of Blind School at RKM Narendrapur to design the gallery," said NCSM director-general Arijit Datta Choudhury.