The 10th Miss and Mister Deaf India 2023, an annual beauty pageant for deaf youth, is being organized by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Govt of Goa, in partnership with All India Deaf Arts and Cultural Society (AIDACS), New Delhi and Goa Association of the Deaf. The event is part of the Purple Fest and will take place from January 6th to 8th, 2023.
The Gera School Auditorium in Old Goa is hosting an event that offers the deaf youth community of India a national stage to exhibit their talent in the fashion industry. This event could help them pursue their dreams in this field and compete in the Miss and Mister Deaf International pageants in Europe and Asia.
AIDACS has been arranging events for the deaf community in dance, drama, and mime for 20 years. These events include both senior and junior categories and are performed in public. After being inspired by Miss and Mister Deaf International in 2008-2009, AIDACS introduced Miss and Mister Deaf India to empower the deaf youth and offer them a platform to display their skills. This also allows them to compete at an international level.
The All India Deaf Arts and Cultural Society is partnering with the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Goa and the Goa Association of the Deaf (GAD) to conduct the event in Goa this year. The event will take place as part of the Purple Fest in January 2023 and will attract a diverse audience.
The event consists of four rounds. The first round is casual, where participants dress in jeans, t-shirts, etc. The second round is the culture round, where contestants dress in traditional state clothing to promote their culture. The third round is formal, with gowns and suits. Lastly, there is the talent round, where participants showcase their abilities, such as dance or mime. As the contestants are deaf or hard of hearing, the question and answer round will be conducted in Indian sign language, with professional sign interpreters appointed for effective communication between the audience and contestants.
Taha Haaziq, Secretary of the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, expressed enthusiasm for the 10th Miss and Mister Deaf India 2023, stating that the event will provide significant opportunities for individuals with hearing impairments in Goa as it will be held in the state for the first time. Prasad Joshi, General Secretary of the Goa Association of the Deaf, expects that the event will give the deaf community in Goa exposure and experience, inspiring and motivating deaf youth to pursue fashion and other mainstream fields.
Monica Punjabi Verma, Vice President of AIDACS, expressed excitement about the upcoming 10th Miss and Mister Deaf India event in Goa, with the positive support of the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and GAD. The team is working diligently to ensure that the event is a memorable one, with arrangements being made for bus and train services to promote the event for participants from other states.
The event is anticipated to be a memorable occasion that promotes the values of empowerment, equality, and inclusion for both the participants and the audience. Over the past nine years, the event has been highly successful, with past winners achieving new titles at the international level. Nishtha, Deshana, and Varsha have all won the title of Miss Deaf Asia, while Vidisha Baliyan won Miss Deaf World in 2019.
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