Kerala Government Urged to Make ISL the Official Language
Kerala's commissioner urges official recognition of Indian sign language as India's 23rd language for improved communication and inclusivity.
The fight for the recognition of the Indian sign language as India’s 23rd official language took a turn for the better. The Kerala state commissioner for persons with disabilities - Mr. S.H Panchapakesan has submitted an official memorandum to the Kerala state government. This official memorandum requests the Kerala state government to recommend Central government to recognize Indian sign language as the 23rd official language of India under the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution. The memorandum stated that out of the 143-crore population of India, 2.23% are differently abled and the deaf community makes a big part of this. It also stated that because deaf people use sign language to communicate with each other & the hearing community, it deserves to be recognized as one of India’s official languages. The memorandum was submitted on 23rd September 2023 which is also celebrated as the International Day of Sign Languages. This memorandum was based on the earlier petition submitted by Varughese Mathews. He is the principal of Kozhikode’s St Xavier’s college of arts & science. The earlier petition by Varughese Mathews pointed out that most of India’s 22 official languages are restricted by India’s internal geographical boundaries but the sign language is the same throughout the country. It can even act as a connecting language between different Indian states. Mathew in an interview said that knowing sign language can give great insights to the hearing community about the lives of deaf people. It will also make communicating easier for both the communities, especially for public servants like police officers, health workers, educators & social workers. He also said that language should not be a hurdle for the differently abled to communicate with the rest of the world. By recognizing sign language, the government of India will also help the deaf community & help boost their confidence. This memorandum has brought us one step closer to having all-respecting & easy communication between all of India.
