XTRASPECIAL
Vaibhav Chiplunkar and Silky Gupta
They are a made-for-each-other couple – Vaibhav Chiplunkar and Silky Gupta. As both are having hearing impairment, they cannot hear or talk. Their mode of communication is sometimes facial expressions, sign language and sometimes silence. The duo met at Indore at sign language training institute, and decided to get married. Their parents agreed and Silky from Bihar became the daughter-in-law of Goa.
“Silky is from Bihar and me from Goa. We were trained in level A Indian sign language and team peer-to-peer for one year in 2015 at Indore. Finding each other compatible, we decided to get married. Our parents had no objection since we both have the similar disability. We now have a daughter Mugdha, who is absolutely normal and bright,” shares Vaibhav who is from Valpoi.
Good at chess, Vaibhav got first prize in Taluka Chess Association competition in 2013, and bagged second prize in badminton singles in Deafalympics in 2012 and 2022 as well as badminton mixed doubles at BITS Pilani in 2017.
His team was in Winners Up in cricket at Goa Sports Complex of the Deaf in 2019. He has been contributing to Goa Association of the Deaf for the last 10 years. He also volunteered at International Conference of Sign Language Users in 2013, participated in the conference and contributed to the community.
With basic communication skills he proves to be a good team player, is confident and a hard worker. His skills in customer service, cash handling, photography and video editing are par excellence. “I love to learn and grow with any new organisation,” shares Vaibhav who tried his hands at multiple jobs from 2013. He worked at Dominos Pizza, Vishal Mega Mart, Xerox centre, Amazon office and even continued his family business of Vada Pav kiosk for two years, from 2021 to 2023, during the Covid pandemic. Today, he does Swiggy delivery in Mapusa.
Vaibhav’s better-half Silky, also a hardworking person, has honed various skills too. She is a commerce bachelor from Mook Badhir Sangathan at Indore through Indira Gandhi National Open University. Having done her education from MP Board (Bhopal), she tutored children for few years. “I undertook Centum GRO Initiative Training from New Delhi in 2017 and learned about my identity as a deaf individual through Deaf Empowerment courses, practiced my job interview skills and professional career knowledge. I polished Basic English concepts and writing, also honed my skills in organising and leading with projects,” she shares.
Completing V-Shesh BPO training programme from Bengaluru in 2017, Silky mastered computer skills, and learnt the importance of composing formal emails, improved her typing speed, worked on her maths and accounting skills, thereby, ready to face any interview. She was leader of the event at Women’s Day in 2016 and 2018, participated in Deaf Can Fashion Design contest in 2017. She controlled the audience in appropriate manner at World Deaf Day in 2015. She has good communication skills, is a good team player and hard worker, just like Vaibhav.
While Vaibhav is good at chess, badminton, cricket, Silky has won third place in volleyball competition held in connection with India Annual Day celebration in 2011. She also bagged second place in the shot put event in the Paralympic Committee of India and Karnataka Sports Association for Physically Handicapped. “My hobbies are playing chess, indulging in various art and crafts, fashion and travelling,” says Silky who communicates in Sign Language, apart from English and Hindi.
Silky works at the Mopa International Airport. Vaibhav’s elderly parents, Madhavi and Vijay Chiplunkar live at Valpoi. Madhavi recalls that Vaibhav was 10 months old when he got typhoid and was admitted to hospital in Panaji where the family was told for the first time that Vaibhav cannot hear. Until then, nobody in the family suspected that their child cannot hear.
“We took him to several doctors who told us he would be able to hear with the help of the machine, but as a child he refused to use the hearing aid, as it used to make loud noise and irritate him. If he had to use the hearing aid from childhood, he would be able to know the pronunciation of the words and learnt to speak. Now he communicates on the basis of body language and facial expressions,” says Madhavi.
A very receptive and helpful person Vaibhav enjoys being with friends. He loves being with his family and values relationships. A happy person, he likes to listen to stories, and most importantly be financially independent. That’s why he tried many jobs. He likes to be a traveller, and do photography. That’s his hobby and passion. He goes trekking, hiking and likes all sports, indoor as well as outdoor. Both, Silky and Vaibhav enjoy playing chess together.
