Deaf in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

There are deaf schools receiving government funding, and approximately 372 private schools for the Indian Deaf are scattered throughout India. The Indian Deaf population is not well connected or informed, and many Deaf people do not even know the names of all the schools or clubs for the Deaf within their own city.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most schools use the oral approach in the classroom. It is a rare school that uses signs in the classroom. Rural Indian Deaf often do not receive an education due to being needed as laborers and the distance that must be traveled to go to school.
Most of the major organizations, gatherings ("clubs"), and schools for the Deaf are in the larger urban areas. Many Indian Deaf migrate to the cities for education and jobs. Jobs are likely to be either unskilled or a manual trade, if skilled. Male Indian Deaf are more likely to go to school and to stay in school longer than females. There are about sixty evangelistic Deaf churches in India, but they are mostly in the larger cities. The Deaf would benefit from a Bible training program that is geared to their needs. One organization has started such a training program in India.
Likewise, there is a need for qualified interpreters in medical fields, businesses and offices. Pastors and lay leaders who are qualified to work with the Deaf are often called to act as interpreters. That can be very time consuming and tiring for them.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Spiritual input is limited by the lack of ability to hear. This applies to people who are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian.


What Are Their Needs?

CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults) serve as interpreters in most parts of the world. In India, however, CODA's usually are unqualified or unwilling to be interpreters. This is due to extended family households. Deaf parents tend to give hearing children to their grandparents to raise. Many CODA's do not admit to having Deaf parents, and they do not take part in the Indian Deaf Community as adults.


Prayer Points

Pray that God gives the Deaf in India dreams and visions leading them to salvation.
Pray that they realize Jesus Christ loves them and devote their lives to the savior.
Pray for efforts to include the Deaf, so they can live productive and meaningful lives.


Scripture Prayers for the Deaf in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Deaf
People Name in Country Deaf
Pronunciation def
Alternate Names
Population this Country 10,813,000
Population all Countries 50,266,000
Total Countries 216
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 19007
ROP3 Code 114916
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Website South Asia Peoples

No people group map currently available. Use the above button to submit a map.


Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.82 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
5.84 %
Ethnic Religions
1.35 %
Hinduism
74.33 %
Islam
14.20 %
Non-Religious
0.48 %
Other / Small
2.98 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Primary Language:  Indian Sign Language

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2023-2024)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
Photo Source David Bennett 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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