Website development firm that employs only the deaf

39-year-old Aqil Chinoy is the founder and CEO of Inspiralive, a website development firm in Mumbai that employs deaf professionals from various fields in Mumbai.

Chinoy, who is also deaf, studied at Gallaudet University, the only university for the hearing-impaired in the United States. Here, he has a chance to see the opportunities lacking in India. After finishing his studies, he came back to India.

He wanted to change the conditions and make an impact in the lives of the hearing-impaired. Along with his brother, Bilal, who is also disabled, he makes websites, logos, advertisements for non-profit organizations and companies working with the deaf. In 2014, he launched Inspiralive.

Most of the money earned by Inspiralive is given as charitable contributions to the hearing impaired, orphans and the poor. Today Inspiralive has expanded from a team of five hearing-impaired professionals to nine, and is looking to blossom into a 15-member team. Inspiralive has worked with several organisations that work on initiatives for the deaf in the US and Denmark.

Along with the Mook Badhir Mandal, Association of the Deaf at Vadodara, Inspiralive has developed a dictionary website in Indian Sign Language.