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| Devi Krishna - Founder of Hidden Voices |
Hidden Voices is headquartered
in Kochi, Kerala, and has grown into a global volunteer movement with
contributors from across India as well as countries including the UAE, the
United States, Mexico, and several others. Its founder, Devi Krishna, is
a psychotherapeutic counsellor, educator, TEDx speaker, author, and HR
professional with over two decades of experience in mental health, education,
and disability inclusion. Based in Kochi, she is dedicated to building an
inclusive community.
1. Hi Devi Krishna. What
motivated you to start Hidden Voices? How and why did you start?
Hidden Voices began in 2019
because of one person who believed in me before I believed in myself. A close
friend, Mr. Sudheesh, a visually impaired Higher Secondary Social Science
teacher from Malappuram, kept encouraging me to start something of my own. His
constant faith in me became the foundation of Hidden Voices.
Through our conversations, I
learned that while technology like screen readers, TalkBack, AI tools, and
assistive apps have made life easier, academic books—especially complex
subjects and regional language materials—remain one of the biggest barriers for
visually impaired students.
I started by reading academic
books for him and soon realized the enormous effort involved. I often joke that
if those readings counted toward my education, I would have earned a gold medal
in every subject!
That experience made me
realize this wasn't one person's challenge—it was the reality of thousands of
visually impaired learners.
Starting Hidden Voices during
the COVID-19 pandemic was both challenging and deeply rewarding. Registering
the Trust, bringing together committed trustees, and navigating legal
procedures without much guidance required patience, perseverance, and determination.
At the same time, the pandemic
brought an unexpected opportunity. Many people were looking for meaningful ways
to contribute during the lockdown, and volunteers from across the world came
forward to read books, review recordings, teach online, and support visually
impaired learners.
One of our biggest challenges
was building trust and maintaining quality in a completely virtual environment.
While many volunteers joined with genuine compassion and a desire to make a
difference, others had different expectations.
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| Devi creates awareness about inclusion at Jain University, Kochi |
3. Tell us more about your volunteers and how you onboard and work with them.
Our volunteers are the heart
of Hidden Voices. Many discover us through word of mouth. Every volunteer sends
a voice sample of their reading. Once found suitable, the volunteer goes
through an onboarding process where they are introduced to our reading
guidelines, pronunciation, pacing, and the importance of making content truly
accessible for visually impaired individuals. They are also introduced to voice
recording, audio merging, and audio enhancer apps to do their work.
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| Hidden Voices Volunteers in Chennai with Devi |
We have volunteers who are readers and/or checkers. Quality is at the core of everything we do. Every audiobook is carefully reviewed before it reaches a beneficiary. If a recording has background noise, pronunciation issues, or missing content, we work closely with the volunteer to refine it. This collaborative process ensures that every learner receives the best possible listening experience.
Like every volunteer-driven
organization, retaining volunteers over the long term can be challenging, as
people often have changing personal, academic, or professional commitments. We
are grateful for every contribution, whether it is for a short period or over
many years. Volunteering also helps readers improve their communication skills,
confidence, and empathy, making it a meaningful journey for everyone involved.
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| Hidden Voices Vounteers in Mumbai with Devi |
4. Tell us more about how
Hidden Voices transitioned into an NGO.
Hidden Voices started as a
movement in 2019 and was officially registered as a Trust on 11 November
2020. The journey wasn't easy—legal procedures, documentation errors, and
limited guidance made the process challenging. Most of it had to be navigated
through perseverance and self-learning.
In 2022, Hidden Voices was
registered on the Government of India's DARPAN portal, strengthening our
credibility and opening doors for future collaborations. Since then, our focus
has been on maintaining transparency, building strong systems, and expanding
our impact.
For me, an NGO is not built by
paperwork alone—it is built by purpose, integrity, and the collective efforts
of volunteers who believe in creating a more inclusive world.
5. In how many languages do
you read audiobooks now? What are the challenges in expanding to more
languages?
Hidden Voices currently
creates audiobooks in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada,
Marathi, Sanskrit, and French (a starter), while also supporting several other
languages on request through our volunteer network. Our goal is to ensure that
language is never a barrier to education.
The biggest challenge in
expanding is finding committed native speakers who can read with accurate
pronunciation, fluency, and consistency.
6. Is there something about
Hidden Voices that you haven't shared publicly before?
Yes. While most people know
Hidden Voices for creating accessible audiobooks, very few know about the
emotional and psychological support we provide. As a psychotherapeutic
counsellor, I have supported many persons with disabilities who have faced
abuse, trauma, loneliness, and the emotional challenges of losing their vision.
One story that deeply moved me
was of a visually impaired man from Rajasthan whose identity documents were
duplicated and misused without his knowledge. He was wrongly suspected in a
criminal case before the truth finally came to light. Watching him struggle to
prove both his identity and his innocence was heartbreaking.
These experiences have taught
me that disability is often not the biggest barrier—loneliness and exclusion
are. Beyond books, our mission is to empower people with confidence, dignity,
and independence, helping them rediscover their voice and their place in
society.
7. What are the other types of
projects you work on for the visually impaired, and how do you reach out to the
needy?
Hidden Voices works beyond
creating accessible audiobooks. We provide counselling, mentoring, and
encourage independent living through everyday experiences like travelling,
shopping, cooking, and social participation.
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| Hidden Voices Listener Manikandan as an RJ in Red FM program |
We reach beneficiaries through referrals from volunteers, schools, colleges, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, community organisations, social media, and word of mouth. We recently had internships with Symbiosis College, SRM, Ramjas, KCI High, Cresent School Dubai, GEMS Kochi, The Choice School, St. Peters and GEMS Our Own English High School, Sharjah – Boys for creating audio. We also had Internships from few other MNC’s.
A visit to Lulu Mall for the visually impaired - https://www.instagram.com/p/DW8trVJiE-w/
8. What is your advice for
women entrepreneurs who want to start an NGO?
Believe in your purpose and
don't wait for the perfect time to begin. Starting an NGO requires courage,
resilience, patience, and integrity. There will be challenges, but every
setback is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Lead with empathy,
transparency, and accountability. Remember, people don't need sympathy—they
need respect, inclusion, and equal opportunities. Success is not measured by
awards but by the positive impact you create in the lives of others.
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| Devi with Mitra Jyothi NGO Founder, Madhu Singhal |
9. What are your future plans
for Hidden Voices?
Our vision is to grow Hidden
Voices into a comprehensive rehabilitation and empowerment centre, offering
accessible education, life skills, emotional wellness, career guidance,
assistive technology, independent living, and employment support. We also aim
to expand our volunteer network, strengthen regional language teams, and build
a more inclusive society where accessibility is a right, not a privilege.
We envision a society where disability is never a barrier to success. My biggest learning is that the greatest disability is not the loss of sight—it is the lack of opportunity. When people are given the right support and accessibility, they can thrive. People with disabilities are just as capable as anyone else—they may do things differently, but they can achieve the same goals when given equal opportunities.
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| Marathon in Kochi with Visually Impaired and Wheelchair Bound |
Did You Know? Devi Krishna has authored a book named ‘Slice of Life’ (available in Amazon) after her elder brother’s demise.
You can reach Hidden Voices
here:
Whatsapp Number to apply for
Volunteering - +91 8714204851
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddenvoicescharitabletrust/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiddenvoicescharitabletrust
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenvoices6132
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/hidden-voices-13b313258/
Website : www.hiddenvoicesindia.org
Email: Support@hiddenvoicesindia.org
