HDFC Mutual Fund has launched a digital platform built entirely in Indian Sign Language (ISL) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community, as part of its ongoing financial literacy initiative, Bharosa.
The launch coincides with the International Day of Sign Languages and makes HDFC Mutual Fund the first Indian asset management company (AMC) to develop a dedicated financial literacy platform of this kind, according to the company.
Launched in August 2025, Bharosa has so far engaged around 6,000 people from the DHH community through ISL-based investor awareness sessions. The platform allows users to select financial goals such as retirement planning or a child’s education and access curated ISL videos focused on those goals.
Users can also schedule one-on-one sessions with DHH coaches, who guide them through their financial journey in Indian Sign Language.
According to HDFC Mutual Fund, its engagement with the DHH community over the past year highlighted concerns around access to financial information. The interactions indicated that the fear of being misled was linked in part to limited access to financial information in a language users could fully understand. This insight led to the platform being named ‘Bharosa’, meaning trust.
Navneet Munot, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, HDFC Asset Management Company, said that financial inclusion needs to go beyond access to financial products and services, adding that people also need information in a form they can understand to make informed choices.
To mark the launch, HDFC Mutual Fund has also released a digital film featuring a young expecting couple from the DHH community as they discuss the future they want for their child. The film explores how access to clearer financial information can help turn uncertainty into confidence.
The actors featured in the film are members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, with the brand highlighting their participation as part of its focus on representation and authenticity.
Through Bharosa, HDFC Mutual Fund aims to expand access to financial education by offering content in Indian Sign Language and creating opportunities for personalised guidance, while also encouraging wider conversations around accessibility, inclusion and financial empowerment.
