(She/her) 2026
Kanika Agarwal is the founder of Neeesh Foundation, whose flagship initiative, Deaf Online Tutoring, has taught Deaf children all school subjects online through Sign Bilingualism since 2020. It also trains Deaf trainers to strengthen their bilingual teaching skills.
Kanika has 15+ years of experience in the disability sector as a tutor, curriculum developer, counsellor and master trainer. She piloted one of India’s first programmes to teach English as a second language to Deaf schoolchildren preparing for state-level examinations. She serves on several government committees focused on Deaf education, contributing expertise to policies and programmes. She has also led research and training projects with some of India’s most well-known social organisations.
Through sustained advocacy for Deaf children, Kanika has become one of India’s most recognised voices in Deaf education. She holds two master’s degrees and a certificate qualifying her to practise as a professor at Indian universities. Despite many lucrative opportunities, she chose Deaf education—a less conventional but much-needed path.
In 2018, she became India’s first Deaf TEDx speaker to deliver her talk in Indian Sign Language. She has received two national awards for her selfless work for Deaf children. Her writing appears in publications by Orient Blackswan, HarperCollins India and the American Annals of the Deaf. Her papers have also been presented at conferences including ICED in Rome and International Purple Fest in Goa.
