SHIVPUTRA wants to sing me a song. First, he SMSes the lyrics and then he starts off with an animated but silent rendition of Oh happy life, oh happy life!. Shivputra is hearing impaired, but neither of us missed the music in those moments. Just compels one to wonder whether even the creators of this modern technology had anticipated such use.
For 25-year-old Shivputra, who works as an office-boy, the mobile phone has become his voice. Its vibrator mode lets him know if someone is calling for his attention. But most of all it is the SMS which has revolutionised the way he interacts with the world. It takes the Greek-to-others sign language out of the way.
‘‘While it seems so ordinary to others, the mobile has given us a unique way of keeping in touch with one another,’’ says Sujeet Goyar, president of a hearing impaired support group Red cross Mukh-Badhir Mitra Mandal, which meets every Tuesday evening in Camp.
Goyar is partially hearing impaired and can speak normally. The ability naturally appoints him as a spokesperson for the group that has been meeting for the past 14 years.
Six persons in the group own mobiles, including Goyar. Five of them have no hearing ability whatsoever. ‘‘That’s what surprises people when they see us with mobiles. Their first reaction is that since we can’t hear or speak what use could it be to us,’’ says Goyar.
The use of mobiles came into focus for the group when some members attended a cultural programme arranged by a similar Mumbai-based group. ‘‘It was there that they saw some using mobiles and were struck by what it could do for them. Of course, there were the hitches. For one, these boys have been trained in regional languages, so English was a barrier. Typing SMSes and sending messages was also totally alien to them,’’ says Goyar.
Computer operator Lal Matta and wife Savita bought a mobile three years ago. ‘‘It let’s us stay in touch with each without being reliant on others. That way it also keeps privacy in our conversations,’’ he gestures. Many in the group see mobiles as a necessity. It’s not something all can afford though. So members like Bhanudas Pathare and Sachin Gaikwad have started saving for it.
It’s an opportunity that mobile services have picked on their signals as well. While BPL is thinking over a scheme for the hearing impaired and iDEA says it customises SMS rate charts if a ‘special’ customer-request is made, Airtel has already been running a ‘Confidence’ plan, which is available in Pune. At Rs 99 as monthly rental, the service allows first 2,000 messages free and then charges a nominal 30 paise for every SMS. A non-voice Airtel helpline also has been set up for them.
I enjoy the song. Shivputra says thank you. I read him.