First 'Indian Sign Language' Dictionary Of 3000 Words Launched In Delhi

New Delhi:  Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, today launched the first 'Indian Sign Language Dictionary'. The dictionary comprises 3000 words. The dictionary was developed by Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLR&TC) under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), M/o Social Justice & Empowerment. Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gujar and Shri Ramdas Athwale and Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar were also present at the function where the dictionary was unveiled. 

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, in his address on the occasion said that ISL Dictionary has been developed to overcome communication barriers between the deaf and hearing communities as it is focused on providing more information in Indian sign language. He said that the ISL Dictionary will give Deaf people the constitutional right to speech and opportunity of freedom of expression and also bring them into the main stream of the society. He said that soon many new words will be added in this dictionary.

ISLR&TC had been working on developing the Indian Sign Language Dictionary for last one and a half years. 

As per the census 2011, there are 50, 71,007 Deaf people and 19, 98,535 with speech disability in India. ISLRTC, New Delhi realizing the gravity of the situation and issues being faced by the large number of Deaf people in common communication took up the onus to develop the dictionary.

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ISL dictionary consists of five categories of words for example legal terms, medical terms, academic terms, technical terms and daily use words. The videos are also subtitled. The English and Hindi terms in the dictionary will help children learn English as well.  

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