Three landmark initiatives unveiled at International Purple Fest

Panaji (Goa) [India], October 12 : On the second day of the International Purple Fest, three transformative initiatives were launched to strengthen accessibility in listening, reading and writing for persons with disabilities, marking a significant step toward inclusive education and skill development, according to the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment release.
Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India, launched these initiatives in the presence of Taha Haaziq, Secretary to SCPD, Goa, Richa Shankar, DDG, Praveen Kumar, CMD, ALIMCO, Kumar Raju, Director, Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) and Jasbir Singh, Dy. Secretary Anupam Shukla, Debala Bhattacharjee, Under Secretaries, and SK Mahto, retired Deputy Secretary. Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
The launches reflect the Government's continued commitment to building a barrier-free learning ecosystem and empowering persons with disabilities to participate fully in global education and professional opportunities.
The first major launch was the IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities, developed by Believe in the Invisible (BITI) with support from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India. Authored by Anjali Vyas, Co-Founder of BITI and a British Council-certified IELTS Trainer, the handbook is a first-of-its-kind, inclusive resource designed to make IELTS preparation accessible, structured, and learner-friendly for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
Serving both as a self-study guide for learners and a teaching manual for trainers, the publication addresses the challenges faced by persons with visual, hearing, locomotor and other disabilities in accessing standard IELTS resources. It provides reasonable accommodation guidelines, adapted strategies, and practical tools for each of the four IELTS modules--Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Key features include step-by-step instructions, skill-building activities, accessible practice materials for different difficulty levels, teaching strategies tailored for PwD learners, lesson plans and exam preparation techniques, time management guidance, grammar and vocabulary building support, along with ISL (Indian Sign Language) video links and accessible study resources.
This publication marks a significant step toward inclusive education and equal opportunities in global language proficiency training, aligning with BITI's mission to raise awareness about invisible disabilities and promote universal accessibility in learning.
The second key announcement came from the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India), the apex institution dedicated to the development, research and training in Indian Sign Language.
As part of the Skill Training Initiative of DEPwD, ISLRTC successfully conducted the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) - Certification in ISL Interpretation (CISLI)/Skill Course for SODA (Siblings of Deaf Adults) and CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) from 11th August to 29th August 2025 in offline mode at ISLRTC, New Delhi.
A total of 17 candidates from various parts of India appeared for the assessment, all of whom successfully completed the course. Grades were awarded based on their performance, and the Certificate Distribution Ceremony for this first batch will take place on December 3, 2025, on the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.
In response to the growing need for Indian Sign Language professionals to gain international exposure, ISLRTC also announced the launch of a Specialised Basic Training Programme on American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL). The one-month (4 weeks) physical training programme at ISLRTC, New Delhi, commencing from 3rd December 2025 on International Day for Persons with Disabilities to introduce ISL professionals to the fundamentals of ASL and BSL, provide knowledge of grammar, syntax and vocabulary and strengthen professional opportunities for Indian interpreters in international forums.
This initiative is expected to enhance ISLRTC's role and provide exposure to Indian culture and heritage for international deaf visitors.
These three launches collectively reflect a unified vision: to create accessible, inclusive, and empowering pathways for individuals with disabilities to learn, communicate, and thrive on both national and international platforms.