Inclusion can't be achieved by govt alone, needs collaboration with social organisations: Minister

New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar on Tuesday said children with disabilities should not be left behind, stressing that inclusion cannot be achieved by the government alone but requires collaboration with social and educational organisations.

Speaking at the Sign Language Day celebrations organised by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), the minister said efforts to strengthen Indian Sign Language (ISL) will play a crucial role in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047.

“Children with disabilities have no shortage of talent. They only need opportunities,” Kumar said.

The minister highlighted the strides made by the ISLRTC, including the creation of a 10,000-word ISL dictionary, over 2,300 sign language videos, and the launch of new diploma and postgraduate programmes to train teachers and interpreters.

“Through these efforts, in the coming time, students will find new educational pathways. These initiatives will contribute significantly in the direction of making education universal,” he added.

Kumar also recalled a recent visit by the president to the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped in Dehradun, where visually impaired children sang a birthday song for Prime Minister Modi.

“Their sweet voices moved the president to tears. If God has kept something less in these children, he has also given them greater gifts in other ways,” the minister said, emphasising that such examples prove how talent can flourish with the right support.

He stressed that inclusion cannot be achieved by the government alone but requires collaboration with social and educational organisations.

“This is a universal challenge. Whether there are more children or fewer in any region, all must get the benefit of education and skill training. Parents want their children to be educated, empowered, and self-reliant,” he said.

Linking such initiatives to the Prime Minister’s development agenda, Dr. Kumar said, "'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas' must also mean that children with disabilities are not left behind. They too must become economically independent and contribute to making India a developed nation.” The minister called on people to embrace ISL as a shared language of respect and inclusion.

“We must create a society where everyone can communicate in sign language in a simple and respectful manner. This is the only way to build a prosperous India,” he said.

The event also featured a video message from Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who described Sign Language Day as “a festival of inclusion” and noted the rapid expansion of digital ISL resources, training programmes, and television broadcasts that are transforming accessibility in classrooms across the country. PTI UZM UZM SKY SKY