In a world where the voices of the mute and deaf often go unheard, the Divyang 23 years old Rupa Nirola has carved a niche for herself. Winner of Miss India Deaf 2025, her journey has been an example to emulate, from silence to spotlight, reverberating with the glistening hard work of Rupa and her family.
Rupa Nirola from Suklai, Udalguri District in Assam, bagged the title of Miss Deaf India 2025 at the 12th Mr. & Miss Deaf India Contest. The NGO All India Deaf Arts and Cultural Society had organised a contest held in Jalandhar, Punjab in September 2025.
The Voices student reporter conversed with Rupa through her interpreter, Ankur Sharma, Executive Board Member, Assam Association of the Deaf. Rupa is a second-semester student of North East Degree College for the Hearing Impaired in Birubari, Guwahati, Assam. Rupa’s life took a new turn when she joined the college. Rupa says that it was here that she took the centre stage. Recognising her potential, Tapan Kumar Sharma, the general secretary of the Assam Association of the Deaf, helped her hone the skills. The college offers inclusive education and motivates differently abled students to participate in both cultural and skill-oriented activities at both national and international levels.
Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.
—Helen Keller
Rupa’s father works at a private company, while her mother is a housewife. Rupa is not alone in her journey. Her younger sister, who is also hearing and speech impaired, studies at the same college and is a member of the Assam Association of the Deaf. Rupa Nirola and her sister were both born hearing impaired. True to the above quote of Helen Keller, Rupa has overcome suffering and set a benchmark in her field. Rupa is also a talented dancer and model. Her performance transcends the limitations of sound.
Felicitating her for the crown, the general secretary of the association, Tapan Sharma, said that Nirola’s achievement has brought pride and placed Assam on the cultural map of the country in the area of disability empowerment. Rupa expressed her gratitude to the college and her teacher, Tapan, whose dedication has opened countless doors for the deaf community.
Before Rupa, it was Anjala Lahon from Sivasagar, Assam, who won the Miss Deaf India 2016 crown in Bengaluru. She later went on to represent India at the Miss Deaf World competition held in Prague, Europe. Angela also studied in North East Degree College for the Hearing Impaired.
Make Sign Language the 23rd Official Indian Language,
Talking to The Voices, Ankur Sharma emphasised the importance of abled people learning sign language to help the specially abled. “If all abled people learn to communicate in sign language, then deaf people will never feel isolated,” he said.
Seeking recognition of sign language as the 23rd official Indian language, Tapan Sharma, general secretary of the Assam Association of the Deaf, sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India in 2019. Over 10,000 deaf individuals have endorsed the demand in a memorandum by signing their names.
In order to increase awareness of sign language, the association observes International Sign Language Week and carries out awareness campaigns across Assam. So far, they have provided training at institutions such as Cotton College, Handique College, Girijananda Chowdhury University, Assam Police, Fire Brigade, ITI, NF Railway, and other places.
Assam and The Sign Language Initiative – First in India
Rupa’s moment of victory has not only made Assam proud but also highlighted the continuous efforts made by the Assam Government in the sphere of empowering the hearing-impaired community.
The state has become the first in the country to introduce sign language as an academic subject. From the educational sessions 2025-26 onwards, the Government of Assam has introduced sign language as an elective academic subject for class 11th students. Also under ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan’ 9260 assistive devices, such as hearing aids, smart canes, and tricycles, to 6464 children (3828 boys and 2636 girls) with special needs, including numerous individuals with hearing impairment, have been distributed in Assam to the needy.
On the healthcare front, a focused effort was made through the Deen Dayal Sravana Foundation and the National Health Mission NHM, where free hearing aids were delivered to 200 financially challenged individuals. Additionally, Assam Water Resources Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Piyush Hazarika announced a Rs 3.5 crore Divyang-friendly Campus at the North East College for the Hearing Impaired. Facilities will include soundproof classrooms, smart boards with ISL support, accessible dormitories and trained faculty with proficiency in sign language.
In the areas of art, culture, sports and extracurricular activities, the Assam Budget 2025-26 has proposed various disability-focused measures, such as including funding for Paralympic associations and conducting workshops and cultural events aimed at promoting participation of PwD (People with Disabilities) artists in the creative domain.
Nirola’s triumph, however, is a reminder of the way Assam’s policies empower the disabled. It also highlights the need for further efforts in the sector. Her victory emphasises equitable distribution, UDID accessibility for all disabled people in the state, and academicians’ preparedness to address the needs of Divyang youngsters.