But what about the deaf community? There’s little information on mutual funds that’s available in sign language. In fact, six hearing-impaired people told Mint they’ve never come across a guide to mutual funds in sign language.
Tushar Viradiya, who works with an NGO, wrote that he had seen the ‘Mutual Funds sahi hai’ advertisement but was not able to understand exactly what it was saying. Although he had met some mutual fund distributors 10 years ago, they weren’t of much help as they couldn’t communicate in Indian Sign Language (ISL).
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Now, Viradiya and 41 others like him have started investing in mutual funds thanks to Rahul Gala, a 23-year-old mutual fund distributor who is also hearing impaired and can communicate using ISL.
Gala said he now has 45 clients, 42 of whom are hearing impaired. However, with just around ₹20 lakh in assets under management, he is barely able to eke out ₹800 a month from the business.
“One of my goals is to set up an organisation where I can collaborate with other AMCs (asset management companies) and regulators to provide services for our community by providing information on every product in ISL,” he told Mint in an interview conducted through text messages and handwritten notes.
Here are some experts from the interview.
Why did you become a mutual fund distributor?
I decided to become a mutual fund distributor (MFD) to address the critical gap in financial accessibility for the deaf community. Growing up in a deaf family, I witnessed firsthand how financial knowledge was often out of reach for our community. Many relied heavily on family members for financial decisions, which sometimes resulted in less-than-ideal outcomes.
Before I received my MFD licence, I gave a presentation on financial planning to 500 deaf people. I explained how to save money and invest in mutual funds. Ten of those people asked if they could start investing through me. When I received my MFD licence I got in touch with them and said, “Now I can officially help you invest.” They were excited to work with me and became my first clients.
That said, many others were scared of mutual funds as they thought they would lose all their money. I had to explain everything patiently. I also explained that the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) is under Sebi, which regulates the Indian stock market. This eased their concerns.
What challenges do the hearing impaired face while studying mutual funds?
I’ll tell you an interesting story. During the covid pandemic, when cryptocurrencies started gaining popularity in India, many in my community were drawn to them because information about crypto was available in American Sign Language (ASL) and other international sign languages on Instagram and other social media platforms. They saw videos explaining how crypto works and found it fascinating.
“They believed mutual funds were illegal because there wasn’t enough information available about them in Indian Sign Language.”
When I approached some of them about investing in mutual funds, they refused outright. They believed mutual funds were illegal because there wasn’t enough information available about them in Indian Sign Language (ISL). I couldn’t help but laugh—it was the complete opposite of the truth!
I explained to them how mutual funds are regulated by Sebi, and that they are perfectly legal and safe when done through the proper channels. I also shared how mutual funds work, comparing them to crypto, and highlighted the risks of investing in something as volatile and unregulated as cryptocurrency.
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What I mean to say is that the biggest challenge the deaf community faces in learning about mutual funds is accessibility. Most financial education material is not available in ISL, which makes it extremely hard for the hearing impaired to understand complex financial concepts. Jargon-heavy content, a lack of inclusive tools, and the limited availability of sign-language interpreters further complicate the learning process.
You have to understand that sign language is the natural language of the deaf community and is crucial for effective communication and understanding.
“I’ll be attempting the CFA Level 1 exam for the second time in May 2025… Many places that offer coaching for the exam are unwilling to enroll me in their programmes.”
I face this issue myself. I’ll be attempting the CFA (chartered financial analyst) Level 1 exam for the second time in May 2025. One of the challenges I face is that many places that offer coaching for the exam are unwilling to enroll me in their programmes.
How do you explain mutual funds in sign language?
I conduct workshops and Zoom conferences in ISL. I also conduct Q&A sessions to address specific queries and try to make the learning process engaging and personalised.
Creating educational content in ISL is crucial to helping the hearing impaired understand investing. Workshops are particularly important as they get to meet each other in person and build trust.
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One example that I use has worked well. I tell them if they had money to buy five flats, would they buy all five in the same building, one in Mumbai, one in Delhi, and so on? They thought for a moment and said, “Same building is easier.” Then I asked, “What if there’s an earthquake and the building collapses? All your money is gone. But if you own flats in different cities, even if one is damaged, the others are safe.”
That’s when they understood the importance of diversification. I explained, “This is what mutual funds do. They spread your money across many companies, so even if one doesn’t do well, the others can protect you.”
Where does the deaf community generally invest?
Most people with hearing impairments tend to invest in fixed deposits, recurring deposits, or life insurance schemes as these are seen as safe options. However, many also keep their money in savings accounts because they simply don’t know where or how to invest.
“A significant challenge is that financial decisions of the hearing impaired are often made by their families.”
A significant challenge is that financial decisions of the hearing impaired are often made by their families. Most parents of deaf individuals can hear, and due to communication barriers they assume their children lack the knowledge or ability to handle financial matters independently. This dynamic not only limits their exposure to better investment opportunities but also prevents them from gaining the confidence they need to make financial decisions on their own.
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Even for simple purchases — like buying a computer or a fridge — they have to seek permission or advice from another family member. This delays decisions and leads to choices that don’t align with their actual needs.
Like everyone else, my clients have their own money goals. Some want to retire early, others want to buy a house, and a few even want to start their own business. Smart investments can help them achieve their goals.
