The Indian government is making it easy for people with hearing impairment to view and understand important broadcasts as part of an initiative to have closed captioning and sign language interpretations in some broadcasts that are of national importance.

In line with this thought-process, pubcaster Doordarshan is making available free to private TV channels a feed of the address to the nation by the President of the country on the eve of the republic Day on January 25, which would have closed captions and sign language interpretations.

“The feed of DD News/DD Bharti is being made available free of cost. All TV channels interested in carrying the live telecast of the Speech of Hon’ble President of India on 25.01.2023 and Republic Day Parade with commentary on 26.01.2023, may carry the signals of DD Bharti/DD News with sign language interpretation and English/Hindi closed captions for the benefit of differently abled people and make the event accessible to them,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in an advisory Friday.

The Ministry said it has been getting requests in the past from members of the civil society to facilitate access to the people with hearing impairment to the speech of the President of India on the eve of Republic Day and to the commentary of Republic Day Ceremony/Parade on January 26 by carrying the telecast accompanied with sign language interpretation and English/Hindi closed captions to help them connect meaningfully with this important national day.

As the public broadcaster Doordarshan has indicated that DD Bharti/DD News will carry sign language interpretation of the President’s message to the nation on their channel  as also the R-Day parade descriptions on DD News with sign language interpretation of the commentary, other TV channels can carry the broadcast, the MIB said.