ISL Jam

Benin is a VV (Visual Vernacular) artist from India. Born in Kuwait due to his family’s work, he later moved to Kerala, where he was raised by his grandparents. He is the only Deaf person in his family. Although he attended a Deaf school and stayed in a hostel, he rarely went out with friends or engaged with the Deaf community until he was 18 years old, spending most of his time watching cartoon DVDs on TV.

He graduated with a BSc in Computer Science from NISH in Trivandrum, Kerala. Inspired by VV artists like Jeremy Lee Stone and Justin Perez, he developed a passion for visual storytelling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began performing as a VV artist online, and his work quickly went viral, earning him recognition as a VV artist in India. Currently, he works as a Team Lead at Orjet Foundation, where he continues to share his passion for VV.

Amaldev P R is a Deaf artist from Kerala and a BFA graduate from NISH, who discovered his passion for Visual Vernacular (VV) by chance. What began as an exploration grew into a professional journey, establishing him as a VV performer and theatre artist dedicated to celebrating Deaf culture and storytelling through performance.

Alongside his artistic work, Amaldev serves as a Consultant at Hear a Million, bringing over six years of experience in the Deaf community and creative fields. His achievements include representing India at the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Camp in Paris and serving on the organizing committee for youth camps in Bangalore, India, fostering leadership and cultural exchange among Deaf youth.

Recognized for his leadership, management, and creativity, Amaldev continues to inspire through both art and advocacy, creating spaces where Deaf voices and stories are seen, valued, and celebrated

Haseena is currently working in the Retail Lockbox department at the Bank of New York in Chennai. She is an Indian Sign Language (ISL) performer, passionate about making music accessible to the Deaf community. She performed for the first time at ISL Jam in Chennai and received an award from the British Council Library for her performance. She has 34,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares ISL song performances to raise awareness and spread positivity. Her goal is to become an ISL singer, helping Deaf individuals enjoy and feel the vibrancy of music through sign language.

Manju SK is an experienced Indian Sign Language (ISL) educator, accessibility advocate, and community leader dedicated to promoting equality and inclusion for the Deaf community. She is currently an ISL Professor at Azim Premji University and an ISL Teacher and Trainer at SignAble Communications Pvt. Ltd., where she designs and delivers training programs for multinational companies such as Wells Fargo and Deloitte , fostering inclusive practices through both online and offline sessions.

She is the Founder of Amazing ISL, an initiative that develops creative ISL videos to support linguistic learning and spread awareness, making sign language more accessible to wider audiences.

Her past experience includes serving as a Soapstone Fellow with Hear A Million and EnAble India , where she created ISL courses, produced educational videos, and mentored participants at the Deaf Leadership Program Youth Camp. She is also a *core team member of DeafWomenToo, advocating for accessibility, gender equality, and Deaf rights.

Deepak K C works with Hear A Million and EnAble India to promote ISL Creative Studio, preserving Indian Sign Language within the Deaf community. Through talk shows and programs, he creates spaces for engagement, creativity, and inclusion.