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My name is Nirmala, I was born in January 1972 and I am 100% deaf. I have one brother and one sister who are not deaf.

I was lucky to have the chance to go to school from kindergarten age. I attended an English Medium deaf school in Chennai, but that meant I had to live there in a hostel far away from my parents. Since they live in our native place Visakhapatnam.

I stayed at this school until my successful completion of the 10th class, when I returned to my native Vizag.

In 1990 Mr. Koppisetti Nagarjuna Sagar, who is also deaf fell in love with me.By that time in 1991/1992 I had passed the lower and higher typewriting exams and only one year later I started working as a typist. In 1996 unfortunately I lost my job but one year later on 14th June 1997 I was so happy to be married. It was a wonderful Indian Hindu marriage. After one year we had our first child Syamala and our second baby Sailakshmiprassana, a year later. I was thrilled to be a mother and happy that I could bring up my deaf family in a home where everyone used Indian Sign Lanugage.

Both of our children were profoundly deaf. As my husband used to go to the Omkar and Lions School in Visakhapatnam up to the 6th class, I knew that this deaf school would be the best for my children`s education and I decided to enroll my girls.

On 15 July 2003 I went to admit my two girls to the school. I met the correspondent Prof. B. Prasada Rao to ask for free concession for our children. I narrated my story to Prof. Rao and after detailed enquiries Prof. Rao learnt that I had passed 10th class with English Medium and was well versed in Indian Sign Language.

At this point Prof. Rao asked me to look after the primary classes for a break week.This was a great success, I was then offered a teaching post as the staff of the school were so impressed by my skills in teaching and my natural facility in communicating with deaf children. I was so very happy to get this opportunity to teach the Deaf and I would really like to improve the children's English skills as they can develop their sign language through English. 

I can be very strict in the classroom but I am also a caring and friendly teacher. During the class I am careful not to be “mummy” for my two girls but Mrs. Nirmala, the teacher!

I know that I am only one amongst the thousands of deaf people who are able to be self supporting and contributing members of the Indian society. In my case I owe a big thanks to the management of the Omkar and Lions School for the Deaf.

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