People with hearing disabilities do not need compassion, they need opportunity: Mayor

Mysore/Mysuru: “No one asks to be born as deaf. If one sense fails, other senses activate and they do not need compassion, they should be given opportunity,” said Mayor Shivakumar.

He was speaking at the World Deaf Day celebration organised by Karnataka State Deaf Welfare Association in association with Mysuru District Deaf Association at Kalamandira in city this morning.

Pointing out that the demands submitted by the Associations have to be fulfilled by the State Government, the Mayor said that various equipment will be provided by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and added that the fund reserved for it has been doubled in this year’s Budget.

He called upon the people with hearing disabilities to make use of it.

Meanwhile, S.T. Ravikumar (RK), President of Mysuru District Journalists’ Association (MDJA), who also spoke on the occasion, said that living with various disabilities was hard. “Their voice through the memorandum submitted today will surely reach the ears of the concerned,” he said and urged the authorities to provide free travel for the hearing impaired in KSRTC buses.

Former MLA Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah also spoke after inaugurating the event.

Meanwhile, visually impaired Basavaraju Umrani, known as ‘Human Computer’ and K.S. Avinash, an international bronze medallist in jewellery making, were felicitated on the occasion.

Deepika, Kushal and Kanchan translated the sign language to the dignitaries.

Earlier, over 1,200 people with hearing disabilities from various deaf organisations from across the State, holding placards, took out a procession from J.K. Grounds to Kalamandira.

They passed through JLB Road, Metropole Hotel Circle and Hunsur Road to reach Kalamandira where they took part in the stage programme.

Akshaya Ahara Jolige provided lunch to the participants.

Chairman of Karnataka State Deaf Welfare Association Chairman S.D. Gopalachar, Vice-Chairman A. Ganesh Rao, President K.S. Umashankar, Mysuru District Deaf Association Chairman S. Murthy, Vice-Chairman Mahesh Varma, former MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, Ln. Krishnegowda and others were present.