PUDUCHERRY: Inside a narrow lane in Puducherry, the faint clatter of ladles and laughter breaks the morning calm. The kitchen is alive — not with chatter, but with silent conversations spoken through hands, glances, and smiles. Steam rises from simmering pots as a group of women — some hearing-impaired, others widowed or single — move in seamless rhythm, their gestures weaving a language of warmth and belonging.
Leading this quiet orchestra of resilience is Subaa Vaishnavi V, 33, her gaze steady with pride and purpose. A teacher turned changemaker, she has built more than a catering unit — she has built a world where silence is no barrier, and every woman finds her voice, even without words.
For Subaa, inclusion isn’t an abstract idea; it’s deeply personal. Her younger sister, who was born hearing-impaired, had to overcome numerous challenges before finding her feet. “She faced a lot of difficulties in society,” Subaa recalls. “We supported her through her studies and now she’s a manager at a well-known restaurant chain in Bengaluru.” Watching her sister’s journey from struggle to success shaped Subaa’s purpose — to build opportunities for women like her to live and work with dignity.
Subaa began volunteering with NGOs while still in Class 12. Armed with master’s degrees in English and Education, she decided to start something on her own in 2019. That decision gave rise to Educonn Charitable Society — a name she coined by combining ‘Education’ and ‘Connectivity’. The NGO offers skill training to women with hearing impairments, particularly in computer operations and office management. Once trained, they are placed in jobs in Chennai and other cities.
“I chose the name Educonn to ensure education for hearing-impaired persons and help them connect with society. Since I learned sign language through my sister, it became easy for me to communicate with them,” she explains.
In 2022, she launched Sign and Dine, a catering unit where hearing-impaired women, widows, and single women work side by side. The venture began with a simple idea — selling chapatis for Rs 5 each from a food truck, ensuring that everyone could afford a meal with dignity. “We distributed food across the city,” she says. “But due to political pressure, we had to stop that activity. So, we turned it into a catering unit with the same team.”
What started as a small kitchen now cooks over 700 meals a day, serving students in special schools for differently-abled children in Puducherry at nominal rates, besides handling private catering orders.
For B Selvi (40), the initiative became a turning point. “I was confined to my home and struggling to support my two children,” she says. “When I approached Subaa for help with their education, she encouraged me to work instead. Now, I can take care of my family with my own earnings. Both my children are in college.”
Selvi has been with Subaa since before Sign and Dine began and is now the chief cook, managing the team with quiet authority.
Another team member, V Banumathi (32), lost her husband in an accident when she was three months pregnant. “After my husband’s death, I faced financial hardship in my village near Vriddhachalam,” she recalls. “Through a relative, I met Subaa, who invited me to Puducherry. I eventually joined the team. Today, I work here and my son is studying computer science.”
For many of these women, the workplace doubles as a support system. They share stories, celebrate small victories, and communicate through a language that transcends speech. R Princy, a hearing-impaired trainee from Chennai who is learning office management, sums it up through sign language — interpreted by Subaa: “We just want to live like everyone else. Here, we get opportunities and confidence to support our families.”
Over the years, several women trained under Educonn have found employment and built independent lives.
Subaa’s next dream is to open a restaurant fully operated by hearing-impaired persons. “People should understand that inclusion isn’t charity; it’s about equal opportunities. That’s why I named my catering unit ‘Sign and Dine’,” she says.
Her days are long and often demanding, but Subaa finds joy in the smallest moments — a trainee mastering a new skill, a widow paying her child’s college fees, a hearing-impaired woman landing her first job. “They are God’s gifted children and deserve to be treated with the same respect and as equals,” Subaa concludes.
(Edited by Adarsh TR)
