United News of India

Bangalore, Jan. 27

Sheer determination and concerted effort of an India-born US-based cancer specialist has transformed the life of hundreds of deaf people in two tribal villages in Karnataka.

It was in 1999 that Dr. Rajendra Raj G. Desai, who immigrated to America 50 years ago, stumbled upon an article during one of his visits to the State. That write-up about a ‘Deaf Village’ near Hubli, where more than one-third of the population were hearing-impaired, changed the course of his career.

Dr. Desai, who had earlier set right the hearing loss of his own daughter, decided to take up the daunting tack of putting in his efforts to rectify deafness among the rustic folk of that area.  It yielded encouraging results after a couple of visits to two villages, where locals considered deafness as “God’s curse.”

Driven by the desire to provide relief to the local deaf, who, unlike his daughter, were deprived of a chance to get education and find employment, Dr. Raj, the first Indian to leave for the US on Fulbright scholarship in 1952, decided to take some time off and concentrate on their welfare.

He, accompanied by a team of researchers from India and his colleagues at the US national Institutes of Health, traveled along the winding narrow and dusty roads of northern Karnataka in 1999 to finally reach Basavanakoppa and Sullali villages.

“I was surprised to see more than 500 people, neglected by their own surrounding village people and the Government for generations, gather in their finest attire to greet us visitors,” He recalled.

A macro-level study revealed that the villagers used to communicate through gestures and lip-reading, a skill passed down along generations all these years.  The team set out to diagnose their deafness among the villagers so as to begin treatment.

Soon, a makeshift clinic came up under the largest banyan tree in the locality, where the villagers lined up for examinations.

The doctor’s zeal only rose so much so that he eventually launched an endeavor named ‘Project Deaf India’, aimed at detecting and improving the lives of the hearing-impaired in the country which has over two millions of people suffering from this handicap.

Dr. Desai, who know divides his time between the US and India found the response for his efforts and the treatment had yielded tremendous results.  “These days they listen to the radio. Their ability to hear as improved considerably.  They have also been provided with telephone facility for communication.”

About their response to his visits, the 77-year-old expert said: “they greet us like members of one’s own family.  They thank us over and over and sought to know when we people would next meet them… I am happy that 30 per cent of the deaf in these two villages have been treated effectively and their lifestyle has improved.”

Dr. Desai attributes malnutrition, heredity, cultural habits, hygiene and sanitation as the main factors that contribute to deafness.  He mustered a matching grant under the ‘Project Deaf India’ to assist the ‘Deaf Village.’ 

The first phase involved $40,000 dollars to provide mobile detection unit, audiometer for early diagnosis of deafness, hearing aids for deaf children and training for local teachers in the total communication system of deaf education besides an electronic microscope that would enable a rural hospital to conduct corrective surgery on deaf patients.

The second phase, being carried out in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Hubli Mid Town, provided three subterranean wells and water distribution systems for the supply of clean drinking water.  The Rotary also helped set up monthly health clinics and supply of multivitamins and hearing aids.

In addition, the team had also reduced the incidence of ear infections in the villages by curbing a tribal practice of inserting tainted coconut oil in the infant’s ear to prevent “leaking ear,” which generally preceded deafness in the villages.

Dr Desai, who had pursued further studies in cancer as a student, is determined to vaccinate over one million girls below 10 years in Karnataka.  He has already held discussions with the Serum Institute at Prune for free distribution of the vaccine required for the program.  “If companies like Siemens and Cipla offer hearing aids and multivitamins tablets, the massive program can be launch immediately without waiting for any assistance from the Government,” he noted.

The expert observes that consanguinity, very common among some south Indians to avoid distribution of property outside family, has also contributed to deafness among other risks.  This could be avoided by an effective education awareness program, he said.

He said the country had numerous villages, which had high incidence of deafness.  “I would like to visit some during his next visit in May and try to help deaf people.”

He regretted that deafness was still considered stigma in India and deaf children were discarded and sent to poorly supported schools.  The deaf children were taught along side the mentally handicapped.  “A large number of deaf adults are beggars and most of the rest are doing some sort of menial jobs,” He observed.

Dr Desai’s goal is to start a computer school.  It would require $5 million.  “I think, with computer skills, these children can grow up to be self-supporting and productive citizens’” added the expert, who also has a novel idea of approaching the IITs to admit 40 deaf students and teach them technical education.

“After all, it is well known that they can do everything as their counterparts in the society except they cannot hear,” he remarked.