A young deaf woman from Bradford is to travel to Bangalore in India to work with deaf children from another culture.

Bhavana Mistry has been granted more than £4,000 from the national Jack Ashley Millennium Award scheme, which is run by the National Deaf Children's Society.

Twenty-two-year-old Bhavana hopes to share her art skills with youngsters at the Sheila Kothawala Institute for the Deaf in India.

She has successfully completed a two-year HND course in fashion design at York College after spending a total of three years at Bradford College studying art.

Speaking with the help of a sign language interpreter, Bhavana, said: "I thought I wanted to go to India and learn all about the culture and about the deaf people there, and build my confidence as well as giving support to the families there in India. When the envelope arrived telling me I had got the award, I couldn't believe it, I was so excited. I'm excited but nervous - I always try to think positively."

Bhavana, who lives in Clayton, is set to spend at least three months in India

Her family have their roots in India and Bhavana has visited the country before. But she travelled with her parents and did not met any other deaf people.

Although profoundly deaf, Bhavana is determined to keep a strong place in the hearing world and has ambitions to continue her career in fashion and design, maybe working as a fashion consultant.

She attended Bradford's Thorn Park School for deaf children before moving to Heaton Middle and then Beckfoot Upper.

"I was surrounded by hearing people and it was quite strange but I developed and felt I became strong within the hearing world."