Blind children tug at the heartstrings

Ludhiana: 'Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahi' -- a singing competition for visually challenged children, organized by a city-based private hospital at Chandigarh Road, near Mundiyan -- selected 12 children to try their luck in the semi-finals on Monday, out of 32 participants from Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The 12 finalists selected were Arpit Sharma, Shruti Kharbanda, Karanveer, Jaspreet, Jayas, Pinky, Munish, Gurdeep Singh, Harshita, Preeti, Ishita, and Sukhbir. The first, second, and third prize-winners will be awarded a handsome cash prize of Rs31,000, Rs21,000, and Rs11,000 respectively.

Shruti (19), one of the finalists, believes that being physically challenged is not a curse, but losing all hope because of this disability certainly is. With a highly optimistic vision and the will to live life to the fullest, Shruti has overcome all obstacles, and is heading towards her aim of becoming a professional singer. She is visually impaired by birth, which was a shock for her parents. However, with time, they not only accepted her, but also became her pillars of support. She says: "Since childhood, I have been taught that we should be thankful for what we have been given. I never cursed God for making me visually impaired. I look at the positive side, as I have been blessed with a good voice and singing talent." Since childhood, Shruti was passionate about singing and making her career in music. She started playing 'dholak' at the age of three, and with growing years, she started singing too at the school level.

When asked about the challenges she faced in her life, Shruti shared: "Since the kindergarten section, I have faced problems. My classmate used to tease me for being blind, but my parents kept supporting and motivating me." Till class 10, she studied in the Vocational Rehabilitation Training Centre for Blind Children. However, later she got admission in a mainstream school -- Ramgarhia Girls School, Millar Gunj, which was a turning point for her. She recalled: "I was really fortunate in getting admission into a mainstream school. Children there were quite supportive and helped me in every way. Studying with normal kids made me more confident, and I managed to overcome my fear of facing normal people."

Presently, she is pursuing her 2nd year in BA English (Honours), besides providing coaching in music. Along with singing, Shruti is fond of playing instruments too like tanpura, tabla, and harmonium. Shruti also shared with ToI that she had been selected in a popular television singing competition. When asked about her goals in life, she said: "I aim to be a Bollywood playback singer, and I know one day, I shall certainly become one."