Language is power. It allows us to express our thoughts, our emotions, our identity. But what happens when someone doesn’t have that power? What happens when a child is just as intelligent, just as capable, but their voice is never truly heard? This is especially true in India, where Hindi remains the predominant language, and limited tools exist to support neurodivergent learners in mastering it.
Throughout my time in school, I have seen how much importance is placed on public speaking—how well you articulate your thoughts can define how far you go. But not everyone has that privilege. Some of my peers, particularly neurodivergent students, struggle with communication, not because they don’t have ideas, but because they cannot express them in the way society expects. I have watched as they faced stigma, as they were left unheard in classrooms, as their potential was overlooked simply because they couldn’t communicate the way others could.
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That is why I created Awaaz Mitr – an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) mobile application. It is designed to be a comprehensive yet simple tool that makes learning Hindi accessible for neurodivergent students. I started building the app in 2023-24 using Google Machine Learning Kit’s Natural Language Processing (NLP) for English-to-Hindi translation and transliteration, alongside Text-to-Speech (TTS) functionality, ensuring that students can hear correct pronunciations as they learn. This helps them to communicate better. The app is structured into four key modules:
- Svar or Hindi Vowels.
- Vyanjan or Hindi consonants
Modules 1 and 2, seamlessly integrate a letter with carefully curated visual aids and corresponding audio clips, ensuring a multi-sensory learning experience that enhances comprehension and engagement.
- Do Akshar Shabd (two-letter words), which helps build basic Hindi vocabulary; and
- Vakya Rachna (sentence construction), allowing users to input English sentences and have them translated and spoken in Hindi.
The intuitive design ensures students can interact with the app independently, while auditory support enhances comprehension. By combining visual, textual, and auditory elements, Awaaz Mitr creates an engaging learning experience that empowers neurodivergent students to grasp Hindi with confidence.
Technology has the power to create a world where no one is left behind. I have already seen the impact Awaaz Mitr has had—over 200 students using it, learning and growing. But it cannot stop here. If you are a parent, a teacher, or just someone who believes in equal opportunities, I urge you to help spread the word. Your help will make education truly inclusive.
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Developing Awaz Mitr marked my foray into leveraging technology as a powerful tool to address real-world challenges. It not only deepened my understanding of technological applications but also reinforced my commitment to create more innovative solutions with a meaningful social impact. I am now working on a Large Language Model (LLM) based platform to analyze emotions in public speaking, so that communication barriers—whether due to language, disability, or fear—can be broken down because I firmly believe that everyone deserves to be heard and everyone deserves a voice.
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