Signbank app bags tech award
SHILLONG, Dec 4: The Meghalaya Signbank Mobile App — the initiative of the office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities — won the 8th eNorthEast Award 2023 in the category of ‘Learning & Education’. The prestigious award was conferred at the award ceremony jointly organised by the Council for Social and Digital Development (CSDD), Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), and North East Development Foundation in Guwahati on November 25. The app provides users with a complete library of Meghalaya Sign Language gestures for successful communication. It covers everything from everyday sentences to expert vocabulary. The app’s user-friendly interface allows users to search for and make signs in real-time, making it simple to express themselves spontaneously. The app facilitates real-time conversations with both deaf and hearing individuals, fostering inclusivity. Users can type text messages, and the app instantly converts them into finger spelling sign language, allowing for swift communication via text. When users write English/Khasi/Garo words, the matching sign appears in video format. The app includes signs from different regions within Meghalaya, showcasing the dialectical richness of the language. The Lexical entries are classified, making it simple to locate signs relating to specific topics. Cultural nuances are preserved by including socio-cultural phrases. The signs are translated into Khasi and Garo, allowing users of multiple languages to use the programme. Meghalaya SignBank initiative was a collaborative effort initiated by the office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Meghalaya, in partnership with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Meghalaya, and Dr Melissa G Wallang, Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the North East Regional Institute of Education, a unit of NCERT, Shillong, and the deaf community members and sign language experts of the state.
World AIDS Day observed
KHLIEHRIAT, Dec 4: The World AIDS Day was observed at programme in Dkhiah East Community Hall here in East Jaintia Hills. It was put together by the Office of District Integrated Strategy for HIV/AIDS (DISHA), Khliehriat, in collaboration with the Mihmyntdu Community Social Welfare Association, Targeted Intervention Counselling Centre (MCSWA, TI CC), Chankylliang Development Society (CKDS-LWS), OST Centre, Khliehriat, AHANA, VIHAAN, and other working partners with the support of the office of the Project Director, Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS), Shillong, and the District Legal Services Authority (DSLA), East Jaintia Hills. Public Prosecutor, District and Sessions Court, East Jaintia Hills, S Pdang, attended the programme as chief guest in the presence of District Medical and Health Officer, East Jaintia Hills, Dr D Shylla, Medical Officer in-charge of Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) Centre, Khliehriat, Dr J Nongtdu, besides community members and others. In his address the chief guest, Pdang, expressed gratitude to DISHA, Khliehriat, and MCSWA for their efforts to organise the awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS with the intention of involving the participation of community members to eradicate this prevalent disease.
FIR over claim on A’king in SGH
TURA, Dec 4: The question of who has authority over Rompa A’sim A’king in South Garo Hills has emerged with two groups of people staking claim for power and filing FIRs against each other. Earlier, in November last week, an FIR was filed by one, Lohan R Marak, the secretary of the Nokma Committee, Rompa A’sim Me’cheng Mahari A’kingland against Nodina M Sangma (Nokma’s wife), Ringnan M Sangma, Lucking M Sangma and Senggrang M Sangma, alleging them of misusing the Nokma pad, following the demise of incumbent Nokma, Sulonsing A Sangma. This time round, a counter FIR was filed by the above named persons against so called members of the Nokma Committee, Rompa A’sim Me’cheng Mahari A’kingland. The FIRs by both the parties were filed with the Officer in-charge of Baghmara Police Station. The fresh FIR named Dipnal M Sangma, Lohan R Marak, Bulbul M Sangma, Rosa M Sangma, Prantush S Marak, Anded R Marak and Tokyo R Marak as being the ones attempting to take over the Nokmaship from the present A’king Nokma, Nodina M Sangma. The FIR alleged that in September this year, the above named persons approached the GHADC and obtained approval in connection with the formation of the Rompa A’sim Me’cheng Mahari Committee without holding any prior meeting and falsely submitting signatures of members supposedly present during a so-called meeting.