Online events: Victoria Memorial introduces sign language interpretation

Kolkata: In a significant stride towards 'inclusivity for all', the Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) has introduced sign language interpretation for all its online events to reach out to the hearing impaired.

The events were streamed live through Facebook page of VMH as well as through zoom platform.

"Amidst all the debate about the digital divide, we have discovered

that this virtual platform not only provided an avenue to reach out to a far larger number of people beyond physical and geographical barriers,

but also opened the doors for digital inclusiveness of hearing

impaired persons through online simultaneous sign-language interpretation effectively executed in tandem by Manisha Sharma and Preeti Sapra," said Jayanta Sengupta, Curator and Secretary of VMH.

The initiative according to VMH authorities has found resounding resonance among a large number of people who had hitherto felt excluded from such events in a physical space.

The recently concluded month-long digital online exhibition organised jointly by VMH and DAG Museums consisted three lectures and a story telling performance based on selected works of siblings Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath

Tagore and Sunayani Devi — all of which had some story telling

element.

When the exhibits were shown and the noted lecturers delivered their talks, interpretations through sign language appeared on the screen simultaneously.

"There was scope on the part of the viewers for asking questions after the events and the speakers responded to their queries which were also communicated through sign language to the hearing impaired," said a senior VMH official.

VMH like other museums have been organising online events and exhibitions time to time for reaching out to common people amidst the COVID -19 pandemic situation when all such museums are closed.

"We will continue to follow the same pattern in our upcoming events too," said Sengupta.