We Work Together
We work together with an aim to make education happen in an interactive and practical way rather than the traditional way of learning.
Our Vision & Mission
Our mission is to educate deaf children in a holistic, bilingual, and truly inclusive way.
Our vision is to be a school where
- we provide an environment with full access to learning, language and the curriculum for deaf children.
- Indian Sign Language has equal importance along with written languages.
- everyone in the school community feels that they belong and are accepted, giving meaning to inclusion in a real sense.
- we educate children for the 21st-century, so that they develop into creative, resourceful and resilient members of society.
- we fully integrate eco-education into learning.
Our vision is to be a learning community where
- deaf children’s education is the collective responsibility of teachers, students, families and the society at large.
- we support networking for bilingual deaf education in India and share our experiences and best practice with others in our sector.
- we prioritise continuous professional development of those who teach deaf children, whether our own staff or others who come to learn from our expertise.
A Message from the Director
Building the Future of Deaf Education Through Language, Literacy and Innovation
Dear Friends and Partners,
When I established Happy Hands School for the Deaf in 2016 in my home village in rural Odisha, India, I had a clear vision: to create a learning environment where Deaf children could learn in their natural language, develop their full potential, and grow into confident, independent individuals.
As a Deaf professional in education and sign language, I have long believed that access to language is fundamental to a child’s learning, identity and development. Deaf children deserve educational environments that recognise their linguistic strengths, respect their ways of learning, and provide them with meaningful opportunities to succeed.
This conviction became the foundation of Happy Hands School for the Deaf.
At Happy Hands, Indian Sign Language is at the heart of teaching and learning, alongside the development of reading and writing skills. Our sign-bilingual approach recognises that strong language foundations are essential for literacy, academic learning, critical thinking and participation in society. We welcome young Deaf children, including those who have had limited access to language, and provide free education and residential care to support their learning and development.
Over the years, we have witnessed children develop language, discover their abilities, express their ideas and build confidence in themselves. Their progress continually reinforces our belief that Deaf children can achieve much more when education responds to their linguistic and learning needs.
Happy Hands has also continued to evolve. What began as a school built around a vision for Deaf children’s education is developing into a wider initiative in educational innovation. Our work now extends to literacy development, curriculum research, teacher training, digital learning, artificial intelligence, environmental education and Deaf leadership. Through collaborations with educational institutions and other partners, we are exploring new ways to strengthen learning opportunities for Deaf children and contribute to the wider development of Deaf education.
Our efforts have received recognition, including the Best School for the Deaf award at the India Deaf Expo in 2023, the National Association of the Deaf’s Best Achievement Award in 2024, and a Jury Commendation for the Sambhavi Puraskar. We value these recognitions not simply as awards, but as encouragement to continue improving our work and sharing what we learn with others.
Our ambition extends beyond the success of one school. We want Happy Hands to contribute to a future in which Deaf children across India have access to quality education, strong sign-language foundations, meaningful literacy development and opportunities to pursue their aspirations. We want to strengthen the role of Deaf educators and leaders in shaping educational practice, research and policy.
Achieving this vision requires collaboration. We are grateful to the people and organisations who have supported Happy Hands as promoters, donors, advisors, researchers, educators and well-wishers. Their contributions have helped us build a foundation from which we can pursue greater ambitions.
As we enter the next phase of our journey, we invite educational institutions, researchers, policymakers, philanthropic organisations and individuals who share our vision to work with us. Together, we can advance approaches to Deaf education that place language, learning, innovation and the aspirations of Deaf children at the centre.
The journey that began in a rural village in Odisha continues to inspire us. We remain committed to learning, questioning, innovating and building an educational future in which Deaf children are recognised not by the barriers they encounter, but by their abilities, ideas and possibilities.
With gratitude and determination,
Sibaji Panda
Director and Founder
Our Team
Teaching Learning team
Em. Prof. Ulrike Zeshan
Head of Academics
Prof. Ulrike Zeshan is an internationally renowned scholar, educator, and advocate for sign languages and Deaf education. She serves as the Head of Academics at Happy Hands School for the Deaf, Odisha, where she guides innovative approaches to bilingual education for deaf children in India.
Prof. Zeshan has more than two decades of experience in research and teaching in the fields of sign linguistics, multilingualism, and Deaf studies. She is the Founding Director of the International Institute for Sign Languages and Deaf Studies (iSLanDS) at the University of Lancashire, UK, and has led numerous pioneering projects on sign language documentation, linguistic typology, literacy, and inclusive education across the globe. Her work has been widely published in international journals and she has edited several landmark volumes on sign languages and Deaf communities.
At Happy Hands, Prof. Zeshan plays a vital role in teacher training, curriculum design, and classroom innovation using serious games as the base. Under her mentorship, the school has implemented bimodal bilingual education (Indian Sign Language and English), developed unique learning tools such as visual curriculum maps, and piloted research-led teaching strategies. She also spearheads collaborative projects that link Happy Hands with international academic institutions, bringing global expertise to the grassroots level.
Prof. Zeshan’s contributions to the Indian Sign Language field have had a transformative impact on the Deaf community in India. Her commitment to empowering deaf learners, building the capacity of teachers, and strengthening the recognition of Indian Sign Language makes her a driving force behind Happy Hands’ success as a national model school for the Deaf.
Dr. Sibaji Panda (Deaf)
He has more than 2 decades of experience working in Deaf Studies, Sign language research, Deaf Education, Applied Linguistics. He was the first teacher of Indian Sign Language teaching in a formal classroom. Have been a senior lecturer in University of Central Lancashire, UK for 10 years and has vast experience from traveling and observing good practices worldwide,
Nirav Pal (Deaf)
Asst. Director
Nirav Pal has worked with us for over 5 years . He is from Gujrat and is one of our Researcher and teacher engaged in research based innovative practice. He is a graduate and currently undergoing Diploma in Education (HI) from MP Bhoj university. He has years of teaching and learning design experience and one of the best talents in innovative teaching.
Sagar Ali Khan (Deaf)
Learning Support Coordinator and Assistant Director
Sagar Ali Khan serves as the Learning Support Coordinator & Assistant Director at Happy Hands School. A passionate educator and dynamic leader, he motivates and supports our teachers with dedication and positivity. Beyond education, he is an avid biker, bringing energy, discipline, and inspiration to both his professional and personal journey
Anuradha Mahale (Deaf)
Assistant Teacher
Hailing from Maharashtra. Anuradha Mahale is an Assistant Teacher at Happy Hands School. Dedicated and compassionate, she nurtures young minds through bilingual learning, supporting children with care, patience, and creativity in their educational journey.
Muhammud Unais K.T
<Teacher, Physical Education, Student Officer
Unais is a passionate teacher who not only teaches at primary level but also deals with administrative tasks dealing with admissions and other students affairs on a daily basis.
Gopinath Thanapati (Deaf)
Art and Crafts Teacher
Gopinath is a talented Artist with skills in sketches, water painting, pottery, clay work, bamboo and cane art etc. with experience over two decades he contribute to our artistic teaching in the school. In addition to his main duty he also contribute to organic farming practice to provide foods to the school.
Aditi Digerse (Deaf)
Assistant Teacher
Aditi Prior to being appointed as Sign Language Tutor and Assistant Teacher volunteered at Happyhands for six months. She hold a Diploma in Sign Language Teaching and is an expert in working with small children, newly admitted children with no language exposure. She has been an asset to our language resource centre.
Poonam Sahu(Deaf)
Assistant Teacherr
Poonam is from Madhya Pradesh. She works as an Assistant Teacher at Happy Hands School. With dedication and warmth, she supports children’s growth through bilingual education, encouraging curiosity, confidence, and creativity in every child she teaches
Our Team
Admin and Support
Urmila Sahu
Child Care
Urmila handles a variety of jobs starting from child care to nursig and nutrition. She also help with kitchen and other wrok when necessary. she is multi skilled and an asset to our school. She is very with early child care services when a new child arrives.
Magsira Pandey
Garden/Agro and Facilities
Magsira is our multi-skilled, Multi-tasked specialist in gardening, vegetation, and providing fruits and vegetables to the schools. in addition he also supervises the campus facilities like water supply, lighting,
Garuda Patra (Deaf)
Multitasking Assistant
Garuda is native from Odisha. He takes care of the boys hostel and manages the discipline on campus. he is a multi tasking officer who help make our campus safe, secure and beautiful.
Become a volunteer
Join us as volunteer, gain exciting experience
Happy Hands School for the Deaf is seeking for volunteer to assist in teaching and gain experience. Our aim is to prepare more and more deaf youth to become teachers of the deaf. We have two volunteer opening starting July 2023 for 3 months to 6 months.