Purple Think Tank

Dr. Alim Chandani was born Deaf in Mumbai, India, and came to the United States in 1986. With degrees in new media/interactive design and rehabilitation and higher education studies, he received a doctorate in administration and supervision in special education from Gallaudet University.

Alim’s doctoral work brought him back to India in 2016, where he quickly got to work onsuccessful initiatives, such as the Centrum-GRO Initiative, an intensive deaf empowerment and leadership training, and Access Mantra Foundation, which provides an online one-stop center with resources and services for Deaf people. As a result of his innovative work, Alim has received multiple prestigious awards such as the NCPEDP Mphasis award and the Bharti Changemaker award.

Deaf Educator and Consultant
Kanika lost her hearing at the age of 10 and grew up totally surrounded by hearing people. Her first encounter with the Deaf Community happened in her early tweens. She was bewildered by this new world and happy to be a part of it. Education always being her passion, and entry into the deaf world helped her develop and penchant for deaf education. Today, she is a known face of PAN India in the field of Deaf Education. Kanika ieves that education is not just a child's affair, but an equal responsibility of parents, teachers and society at large. As such, along with teaching kids online, Kanika also counsels' parents and teachers on issues ranging from behavior to psychological distress. She is also the first Deaf TEDx speaker in India, who gave her talk in Indian sign language. Through research Kanika hopes to slowly reform Indian deaf education system for the betterment of the deaf children.

Pallavi Kulshreshtha has been actively working in the area of deaf education & sign language since last 10 years. She is handling the CSR partnerships & various educational projects such as Early Intervention, Digital Sign Language Lab & Accessible STEM Learning at Haryana Welfare Society, which has eight centers. It is her only dream to see quality bilingual deaf education. She volunteers in suicide helpline services & is currently pursuing her PhD in Psychology.

I, Rajesh Ketkar, was born deaf. Later, I developed a locomotor disability because my deaf parents were not aware of the importance of bringing me to the hospital for regular polio vaccinations. As a result, I am unable to walk independently. However, my journey in life has progressed from being a tailor to becoming a good and high-position job.

Currently, I am associated with the NGO MBM (Mook Badhir Mandal) where I share my knowledge, skills, and information on various topics such as health, education, and raising babies through tutorials to educate deaf people in an easy and effective way. I have also worked at HUB sign, an online mode of education that includes quizzes, general knowledge, and puzzles to help deaf
students understand easily.

Director, Happy Hands School for the Deaf, Odisha, India

Sibaji Panda is one of the most prominent researchers and Deaf educators in India with experience of over two decades in research and development both in the UK and India. His current focus is on DeafEducation reform and alternative educational approaches.