| Dhadkai | |
| Other Name: | Dhadkahi |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | India Jammu and Kashmir#India |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | India |
| Subdivision Type1: | Union territory |
| Subdivision Name1: | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Doda |
| Subdivision Type3: | Tehsil |
| Subdivision Name3: | Gandoh (Bhalessa) |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population As Of: | 2011[1] |
| Population Total: | 1774 |
| Population Demonym: | Gujjar Muslims |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
Dhadkai (also Dhadkahi) is a village in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, India, known as the "Silent Village of India" due to the high prevalence of hearing and speech impairments in the community.[2]
Dhadkai is located in the Gandoh (Bhalessa) Tehsil, approximately 70 kilometers from Doda and 220 kilometers from Jammu.[3]
The village has a population of around 1,774 people, comprising 970 males and 804 females.[4]
A significant portion of the population is affected by a congenital disorder that causes severe hearing and speech disabilities. The first reported case of hearing and speech impairment in the village dates back to 1901.[3]
The villagers use a local sign language to communicate with each other. This language is based on gestures commonly used by the hearing population, facilitating communication between hearing and non-hearing villagers.[4]
Research has identified mutations in the OTOF, CLDN14, and SLC26A4 genes as major causes of hearing loss in Dhadkai.[5]