Brett Lee Visits Mumbai's TEACH Institute, Backs Higher Education And Jobs For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Youth
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai: Australian cricket legend Brett Lee visited Mumbai-based Training & Educational Centre for Hearing Impaired (TEACH) in Sion on Saturday to express his support to the organisation's efforts to expand higher education and employment opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) youth across India.
Visit umafrika.club for more information.
Personal Connection to Hearing Loss
Lee, who has served as a global hearing advocate, said his personal experience with hearing loss had shaped his commitment to promoting hearing awareness and inclusion. In 2011, his son Preston suffered temporary hearing loss following a serious head injury, an experience that prompted Lee to champion early detection of hearing loss, newborn hearing screening and access to cochlear implants.
During his visit, Lee toured the TEACH campus and interacted with founders Aman Sharma and Deepesh Nair, who shared how they transitioned from careers in management consulting to learning Indian Sign Language and establishing the institute to address the shortage of specialised higher education opportunities for DHH students.
Integrated Academic and Vocational Programme
Lee also met students and learned about TEACH's integrated programme, which combines academic education with vocational training and employability skills. The institute supports students through a preparatory year, Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) education and a Bachelor of Commerce degree, while also providing training in accounting software, management information systems, information technology, design, written English and Indian Sign Language.
The programme culminates in corporate internships and placements, with graduates securing jobs in fields such as accounting, human resources, sales, procurement and other corporate functions. TEACH currently operates campuses in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi, is expanding to Hyderabad and plans to open a centre in Kolkata.
Sports Interaction and Confidence Building
Lee also interacted with students who represent their states and the country in sports, joining them in a sporting session that highlighted confidence-building and teamwork.
IND Vs ZIM: Tilak Varma Suffers Painful Blow After Bennett's Rocket Shot At Cover"My experience with my son's hearing loss made me understand how profoundly hearing can shape a child's life," Lee said. "Visiting TEACH, I saw an institution that is ensuring that being Deaf or Hard of Hearing does not define what a young person can achieve."
Aman Sharma, co-founder of TEACH, said Lee's visit would inspire students and strengthen efforts to promote inclusion.
Lee also met representatives of Social Venture Partners (SVP) India, which has been mentoring and supporting TEACH over the past three years. SVP India Chairperson Govind Iyer said the visit underscored the importance of partnerships in creating greater educational and career opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing youth.
Your voice matters. If you have a community story, issue, or inspiring local experience to share, send it to [email protected] and be a part of the conversation.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/