Noida Deaf Society has spent the past two decades building an education and employment pathway for deaf children and youth in a space where access has long been limited.
Founded in 2005 by Ms. Ruma Roka, the organisation began in a small two-bedroom flat where a handful of deaf students received basic English communication training. Since then, it has grown into a multi-centre organisation focused on formal education, vocational training, Indian Sign Language-led learning, and employment support for the deaf community.
From its Noida base, NDS now runs seven centres and has collaborated with 23 deaf schools across nine states. Its programmes include formal schooling from Nursery to Class VIII, plus an NIOS-accredited centre for Class X and XII, alongside skill development courses in areas such as computer literacy, retail, hospitality, bakery, digital literacy, tailoring and others.
According to the latest information shared by the organisation, Noida Deaf Society has impacted more than 26,000 individuals, placed over 5,300 people in employment, built relationships with 500+ corporate partners, and trained 900+ teachers and special educators in Indian Sign Language.
Key numbers at a glance:
26,000+ individuals impacted | 5,300+ employed | 500+ corporate partners | 900+ teachers trained
A Beginning in a Flat
The story of Noida Deaf Society began with a simple idea: that deaf children and youth deserved access to learning, training, and livelihood opportunities on equal terms.
When Ms. Ruma Roka started the initiative in 2005, the work was small in scale but clear in purpose. The early classes took place in a two-bedroom flat, where deaf students were taught basic English communication skills. At a time when accessible education for the deaf was still limited, the effort helped address a gap that many mainstream institutions had not meaningfully filled.
What started as a modest teaching space gradually evolved into a structured organisation working at the intersection of education, skill development, and employment.
What NDS Does
Today, Noida Deaf Society works across two broad areas: education and vocational training, both designed around accessibility.
Its school programme supports students from Nursery to Class VIII, while its NIOS-accredited centre helps learners complete Class X and Class XII. The teaching model is built around Indian Sign Language, helping reduce a major communication barrier that many deaf students face in conventional classrooms.
On the vocational side, NDS offers training in computer literacy, functional English, retail, hospitality, bakery, digital literacy, and basic stitching tailoring and others. These are practical, employability-focused programmes aimed at helping students move from training into work.
Skill Training and Employment Pathways
The organisation’s job-linked training is one of its strongest features. Students are not only taught skills but are also prepared to enter workplaces that may be unfamiliar with deaf employees and communication needs.
Over the years, NDS has worked with more than 500 corporate partners across sectors. That has helped build a pathway from training to interview to workplace for many young deaf people. According to the organisation, more than 5,300 individuals have been placed in employment through this ecosystem.
The organisation’s approach also reflects a broader shift in employer awareness. As more companies engage with trained deaf candidates, workplace inclusion becomes more practical and less abstract.
Residential Support and Safety
One of the most important recent developments at NDS is the expansion of its residential support system. The Noida residential centre can accommodate more than 250 students annually and provides essential support for deaf students coming from different parts of the country.
A major recent milestone is the extension of hostel facilities to female students. This has made it easier for deaf women from states including Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana and others States to access education and skill development opportunities at NDS.
This matters because residential support can be the difference between intent and access. Safe accommodation, meals, and a familiar learning environment can significantly expand who is able to participate.
Wider Reach Beyond Noida
NDS’s work is not limited to its own classrooms. It also has collaborated with deaf schools across nine states, extending its reach beyond Noida into a broader education and training network. The organisation has also trained more than 900 teachers and special educators in Indian Sign Language, helping expand accessible teaching capacity beyond its direct centres.
This wider reach means NDS is not only serving students directly. It is also influencing the larger ecosystem around them, including educators, employers, and support networks.
Founder’s Perspective
Ms. Ruma Roka’s reflection on the organisation’s 20-year journey adds a personal lens to the scale of the work.
“As we mark 20 years of our journey, I often pause to reflect on the impact we have made within the Deaf community and in society at large.”
The organisation’s journey is also closely tied to the personal involvement of its founder, Ms. Ruma Roka, with students and the wider Deaf community.
She also highlighted one of the organisation’s most important long-term outcomes: the emergence of Deaf trainers, leaders, and mentors from within the community itself. As experienced team members move on to new opportunities, newer Deaf youth continue stepping into positions of responsibility within the organisation.
That model matters because students are not only receiving services. They are also seeing people from their own community in positions of leadership, training, and responsibility.
Recognition and Awards
Noida Deaf Society and its founder have received several recognitions over the years. Major awards include:
- 9th Dr. Sarojini Naidu International Award for Working Women (2025) — International Chamber of Media & Entertainment Industry in association with the International Women’s Film Forum.
- Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship & Karmaveer Chakra Award (2023) — iCONGO.
- Helen Keller Award (2022) — NCPEDP – LT Mindtree.
- Amazing Indian Awards for Educator of India Category (2016) — Times Now, presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- 100 Women Achievers Award under the Disabled and Disadvantaged Category (2016) — Ministry of Women and Child Development, presented by President Pranab Mukherjee.
- Shell Helen Keller Award (2008) — National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Disabled Person.
These recognitions reflect the organisation’s long-term work across education, skill development, and inclusion.
Why This Story Matters for Noida
What stands out about Noida Deaf Society is the structure it has built over time: accessible schooling, industry-linked training, residential support, and employment pathways designed around the real needs of deaf youth.
More than 70 percent of NDS employees are from the Deaf community, reflecting an approach in which representation is part of the institution itself, not an afterthought.
For Noida, NDS represents a different kind of city story. In a city often measured through roads, towers, offices, and investment, it shows the importance of social infrastructure built patiently over time: classrooms, training spaces, hostels, and workplaces that expand access for people who are too often left out.
This profile is based on information shared by Noida Deaf Society and its official public channels.
You may also want to read how Pehchaan The Street School is working with underserved children across Delhi NCR, and how Sunrise Learning in Noida is building structured support for children with autism.
Support Information
Noida Deaf Society welcomes support from individuals, organisations, and companies interested in education, disability inclusion, and employment for deaf youth. Donations are eligible for tax exemption under 80G and 12A, and the organisation also works with volunteers and CSR partners.
Contact Details
Operational Training Centre: SB 31, Sector 117, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301
Mr. Rudresh: 9310640348
Mr. Harendra, Operations and Finance Head: 7835812100
Location: View on Google Maps
