Three accessibility initiatives for persons with disabilities launched at International Purple Fest, Goa
On 11 October 2025 at the International Purple Fest in Goa, DEPwD Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal launched three initiatives, including an IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities and an ISLRTC training programme in American and British Sign Language (PIB, 12 October 2025).
Summary
On 11 October 2025, the second day of the International Purple Fest in Goa, Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), launched three initiatives to improve accessibility in listening, reading and writing for persons with disabilities, PIB reported on 12 October 2025. They included the IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities, developed by Believe in the Invisible (BITI) with DEPwD support, and announcements by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi, including a one-month specialised basic training programme in American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) to give Indian Sign Language professionals international exposure.
Key facts
- Event
- International Purple Fest, Goa — 11 Oct 2025
- Launched by
- Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD
- Initiative 1
- IELTS Training Handbook for PwDs — by Believe in the Invisible (BITI)
- Initiative 2
- ISLRTC one-month ASL/BSL basic training
- ISLRTC
- Apex institution for Indian Sign Language, New Delhi
Practice MCQs 1 questions
The IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities, launched at the International Purple Fest in Goa in October 2025, was developed by:
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Believe in the Invisible (BITI)
PIB: the IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities was developed by Believe in the Invisible (BITI) with support from DEPwD.