In a flagship project at the C.S. Virani Deaf and Dumb School in Rajkot, Gujarat, under the guidance of Shri Dhirajmuni, a pan-India campaign has begun to empower all institutions that cater to speech and hearing-impaired children.
The organizations partnering for this initiative include:
- Jainism & followers of Shri Dhirajmuni
- C.S. Virani School, Rajkot Board of Trustees
- Narmada Balghar, Morbi
Guided by Compassion
Shri Dhirajmuni: A revered Jain saint and philanthropic torchbearer, champions inclusive education through spiritual leadership and guided funding. His mentorship ensures ethical grounding and community mobilization.
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He is the prime mover of this ambitious project to reach majority of Dumb & Deaf across India.
A Catalyst for Empowerment:
This initiative also bears the mark of a pivotal intervention by Dr. Sudhir Parikh, whose deep commitment to education and community upliftment transcends borders. As a member of the Advisory Committee of Narmada Balghar and by offering the transformative potential of Narmada Balghar’s vision, Dr. Parikh personally engaged with revered Jain saint Shri Dhirajmuni, In that thoughtful exchange, he, along with Founder Trustee Shri Bharat Mehta championed the cause of empowering deaf and non-verbal students, exploring possibilities and aligning the goodwill of the Jain Trust with the technical and pedagogical expertise of the NGO. His role as a bridge – connecting visionaries, enabling trust, and inspiring collaboration — has laid the foundation for this programme to take shape. By guiding this partnership, Dr. Parikh has ensured that the seeds of empowerment planted here will grow into opportunities for countless students across India.
Project promoters have planned to visit USA during September 2025.
The project aims to serve
- As a blueprint for replicating across more than 1,000 schools for the deaf and dumb
- Demonstrate how technology can overcome geographical and physical barriers, with I.T. cloud resources extending reach to remote areas.
- Inspire partnerships with corporates and government bodies to fund and scale up this vision.
Trustees of the project include: Smt. Darshiben, Principal of Gujarat School of Excellence. With her 35+ years in education drives operational excellence; and Prashantbhai Vora, brings administrative expertise & wide business expertise to tailor learning for special needs.
About C.S.Virani School & Key Visionaries
C.S. Virani School (Rajkot, Gujarat) is a beacon of hope for 253 deaf and dumb students aged preschool to Class 12+. Its state-of-the-art campus (65,000 sq. ft. with ₹15 crore investment) features:
- Smart classrooms, computer labs, hostel facilities, and modern assistive technologies.
- Specially trained teacher’s adept in sign language and experiential pedagogy.
Project Objective & Process:
The core mission is to democratize future-ready education for India’s deaf and dumb students by:
- Bridging gaps between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications through hands-on labs.
- Preparing students for Research & Commercial careers in high-growth fields (AI, 3D printing, Graphics & Animation, &Tech Art) while nurturing creativity and critical thinking.
- Creating a replicable model for nationwide scalability, ensuring no Dumb & Deaf student is left behind in the digital age.
In particular, the project will:
- Deliver a modular curriculum mapped to age groups (8–18) with clear completion targets
- Equip available dedicated learning spaces with the hardware, consumables, and assistive teaching aids required to implement that curriculum
- Train teachers to deliver accessible, inclusive, and technology-mediated instruction
- Create industry linkages (mentorships, internships, product auctions) that enable transition to work or micro-enterprise.
Expected impact:
This transformative initiative aims to create a sustainable ecosystem where deaf and dumb students transcend traditional educational barriers. By integrating emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and community collaboration, the program will:
- Equip students with industry-aligned skills in STEMfg, AI, and digital arts, enabling them to design market-ready products (e.g. Graphics,Animation, 3D etc.)
- Foster Economic independence through skill-based competitions, auctions, and corporate partnerships, linking students to job opportunities.
- Cultivate inclusivity via mentorship from professionals and collaboration with others, ensuring students emerge as confident solopreneurs or skilled professionals.
- Leverage cloud-based Platforms to progress and personalize learning, exploring possibilities of a 5-year curriculum to 1 year of immersive, experiential training.
The Learner Pathways
Students will be routed toward high-impact careers aligned with NBG’s modules:
- Foundational STEMfg & digital citizenship — strengthening primary science concepts while building safe, independent digital skills that enable participation in the modern economy.
- Maker & Fabrication pathway — Additive Manufacturing (3D printing), CAD work, and prototyping that lead to product design, local micro-enterprises, and placements in manufacturing/creative sectors.
- Emerging-tech & Creative Media pathway — Drone technology, Animation and AI-assisted content creation for students interested in media, inspection, and creative careers.
- Career Connect & Entrepreneurship — mentorship, aptitude tests, mock interviews, product auctions and industry collaborations will convert student projects into market opportunities and internships. This donor–industry engagement strategy creates sustained, local demand for student skills.
Course Contents:
By combining the on-site infrastructure described above with mentorship, local donor engagement, and teacher capacity building, the programme will motivate similar institutions to adopt and adapt this model — ensuring that the many Deaf & Dumb children still left behind in our system can access the same opportunities. Narmada Balghar’s curriculum and ecosystem provide a ready, evidence-based template to carry this mission forward.