Instead of waiting for things to get back to normal, they went ahead and started a restaurant business in collaboration with a hotel chain. Chitradevi, a sign anguage interpreter, who helps the five dumb and deaf individuals in translating and communicating with the customers, tells us, "They are sports players and were giving sports training to schoolchildren before the lockdown. Since all the sports activities are stopped because of the pandemic, they were finding it tough to meet the ends. That's how they decided to come together and start a venture on their own. We approached The Voice for Voiceless Foundation and one of its members introduced us to the owner of Salem RR Biryani. We met him and conveyed our idea of starting a food cart business. From his experience, he said that it will be tough for them and agreed to provide space at his hotel outlet in Velachery to start the venture.” 

Currently, the newly opened restaurant serves breakfast and dinner. “Apart from the usual breakfast dishes like dosa, idli, poori, uthappam, pongal, etc, they make healthy millet dishes. We have kambu dosa, ragi dosa, muringailai soup, thoothuvalai soup, etc. From July 15 onwards, we will be serving dinner as well. Because of the lockdown, only a few diners visit the hotel. But we have home delivery and take away options also,” she adds.

Chitradevi, who works at the Madars Association of Deaf, has been supporting the team from the beginning. “There are seven members on the team. But only five of them – Rathinam, Pramila, Suthirsh, Manikandan and Santhosh - handle the production, servicing, cleaning, billing and housekeeping. Rathinam and Pramila are the main people behind the venture. I have taught them in a Dumb and Deaf school and they are so close to me. Their confidence and courage have surprised me many times. We all hope this venture becomes a huge success and inspire many speciallyabled to come to the forefront,” remarks Chitradevi.