THEY KNOW SIGN LANGUAGE, WHAT’S YOUR SUPER POWER?

Shalini works as a server at a restaurant. This is her first job, but it means a lot more to her than just another job. She feels proud of the message on uniform, which reads “I know sign language. What is your superpower?”. Like all the servers at this concept-restaurant in Powai, Mumbai, Shalini too is speech and hearing impaired.

On a weekday afternoon, as we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by the special menu board, highlighting the sign language to indicate different items on the menu. We were already prepared for an unusual experience.

There was a lot of food-for-thought as we tried to make ourselves comfortable in that speechless world. Our server Amit, introduced himself (of course all in mime), starting with his ‘sign name’, which I would always remember. It was a very quiet yet deep conversation.

The food was amazingly fresh and refreshing too. And also pleasantly priced

The delicious, sumptuous dessert added to the delightful treat.

Later a detailed conversation with the co-founder Prashant was inspirational. He and his partner Anuj, got an idea to start a restaurant that employs a section of the society, who are not accepted equally in our own society. There were several challenges in the initial phase, but no looking back. Very interestingly, their biggest challenge turned out to be their biggest advantage. They were sceptical about how these young boys and girls would react to the idea and would they be able to handle the job responsibilities well. It was a thrilling experience to hire and train the server team, all of whom cannot hear or speak. “They have a strong sense of intuition and focus. They smile more. They are much happier and content, without much to worry about. They lead a very simple life, where the life has taught them to not expect much. Their entire reflection of the world is very different from yours and mine. This made a perfect recipe to offer a pleasant experience to our guests”, Prashant shared. It made me wonder, whether people are in the right direction in the pursuit of Happiness.

Prashant had many more stories to share, of how the team members had shared their stories of transformation. Shalini, for example, gained confidence to stand as equal amongst her siblings, which had never happened earlier. And also people’s attitude towards her changed completely. She earns 30% more than similar jobs at other restaurants.

Please do visit ‘Mirchi and Mime’ next time you are near Powai, to experience it for yourself. While I am practicing some sign language from their ‘thank you’ card.