Be the Voice

Dhwani is an inclusive space that doesn’t hear you but always answers you—and how!

By Anna Mary

Venki, a waiter, smiles at you warmly when you enter Dhwani. Just as you’re about to say something, he meaningfully points to the counter. A placard informs you that he and many of his fellow workers at the eatery have hearing and speech impairments.

He then signs you in the direction of the dining area. Twenty three-year-old Venki used to work as a farmer before he joined Dhwani. And now he supports his family with his job. You can have a conversation with the staff here with a mixture of signs and writing. That’s what this writer did.

His colleague Nishan (name changed), 20, is busy taking orders and attending to customers. He is from Andhra Pradesh, and proudly enlists his responsibilities at the restaurant: “I clean tables, serve food and if the guests have any request, I show them the placards of — menu please, water please, bill please. So they can point out their request. It is great fun,” he conveys in sign language.

Nishan enjoys the job and continues to say that it has made him feel useful and to communicate with the customers is exciting. “I am independent and can support my family financially and provide for my poor parents now,” says the cheery Nishan How did Dhwani, voice in Kannada, come about? A group of engineering students had a vision to open an eatery that would be run and operated primarily by adults with special needs. Fast-forward to today -- Karthik Raju S, the owner, is enhancing the lives of adults with special needs through training and employment at his eatery.

The first restaurant opened in Koramangala.Now the second outlet opened in Indiranagar. The outlets were renamed Dhwani. “We want to be their voice and not just an echo anymore,” says Raju.

“Employing individuals with disabilities may take some more time when it comes to training, but you have them for a long time,” says Prashanth, the manager. He believes that a restaurant like Dhwani is the perfect place for disabled individuals to learn and grow because you’re not looking for speed, but rather friendliness. He adds that he has worked in various commercial firms as a manager earning in lakhs. But here it is all about the concept. “The customers come here to spend time with my staff. My hope is that the right voice should be heard,” says Prashanth.

The challenged employees at the restaurant are not confined to backroom work but also have the opportunity to work in customer-facing positions. “Initially, it was a trial and run programme. We started at a time when persons with disabilities were hardly absorbed into the workforce,” says Prashanth.

Dhwani’ s main concept is #bethevoice. Out of the six staffers, three are impaired. But the management is proud of them. “They teach us how to communicate with them through our sign language, like if I need an empty plate I point to my teeth. That way they understand what I want”, says Pransath.

Prashanth, however, admits that certain departments are more conducive for the impaired staff. First, they were tried for back office work; dealing with bills and software. Now, they work as servers where vocal communication is through cards indicating the needs. “They earned the position very well as we are getting great feedback from the fellow Bengaloreans,” says he.

Ashok, a regular customer, says: “My friends and I spotted Dhwani on New Year’s Eve this year. As Soon as it opened in Indiranagar I dragged my friends and family here for their amazing pizzas, ambience and staff.”

“Here the staff don’t only greet you, seat you but also take your order with the same precision— if not more-than a regular employee,” says Riya, another regular.

The restaurant provides accommodation for their staff and provides unifor ms with # BeTheVoice in bold letters as their endeavour for equal opportunity.