Disney Star to offer Indian Sign Language, audio descriptive feed for T20 World Cup 2024

Cricket enthusiasts with hearing and visual impairments in India can look forward to special telecast arrangements for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas, courtesy of official broadcasters Disney+Hotstar and Star Sports Network. Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation and audio descriptive commentary are part of the initiative, aimed at serving the diverse needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and visually-impaired viewers.

This step represents the first time when the T20 World Cup will feature ISL interpretation and descriptive commentary, striving to elevate the viewing experience for differently-abled sports fans.

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The Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, expressed through a post on X, that the move showcased the broadcasters and the government's unwavering pledge to promote inclusiveness throughout society. 

The ISL feed will deliver minute-by-minute updates alongside live stream translation, facilitating access for individuals who rely on sign language.

The World Health Organization's data indicates that India comprises approximately 63 million deaf individuals and 40 million visually impaired individuals, emphasizing the imperative for initiatives that prioritize accessibility in sports broadcasting.

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Sanjog Gupta, Head of Disney Star (Sports), praised the initiative, noting its successful implementation during the ongoing IPL. He reaffirmed the commitment to serving sports fans by introducing more such initiatives that enhance access and engagement, fostering inclusivity among all cricket enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, founder and CEO of India Signing Hands, Alok Kejriwal, praised the initiative as well, terming it as a significant move towards inclusivity and expressing confidence that it will bring the domain of cricket to a wider audience within the Deaf and Visually Impaired communities.