No forearms but paints like pro

Losing her forearms at the age of nine did not deter Bharti Saini from pursuing her passion, and now at the age of 21, she has her paintings mounted in an exhibition in the national capital. It is a week of two firsts for Saini, a fine arts student from Ramnagar town of Nainital -- she has come to Delhi for the first time and has her very first exhibition mounted at the famed India Habitat Centre.

She is among the 20 students whose paintings are part of the exhibition, and despite her obvious disability, her works are no less a work of art than her peers'. "I don't remember much about that time. But I remember I was playing with an explodable item and suddenly it went off. I was rushed to the hospital and doctor told my parents that they can't save my hands," Saini told PTI. Since then, she had to learn everything the hard way, including daily chores, with her newly inflicted limitations.

Despite the gruesome accident, Saini didn't limit her repertoire to household work. She learned writing and painting using the remaining parts of her hand, and convinced her parents to let her pursue art. "I started writing using the remaining part of my hand. I scored well in my exams. I love painting so I decided to pursue that as a career. My parents resisted first but now they support me," she said.

Saini has been given a chance to display her art at the IHC by Udhyam Learning Foundation, an Uttarakhand-based NGO. The NGO has been working in the Kumaon region nurturing aspiring youths and providing them platforms and exposure. The Udhyam has hosted a two-day exhibition-cum-sale of paintings from young artists belonging to various villages of Uttarkhand.

The 65-painting exhibition titled 'PahadKe Rang', showcases landscapes and portraits of Kumaon.

"Through Udhyam we only try to keep our engagement on with these people and provide them platforms to showcase their talent," Anjali Nabiyal, the NGO's head, said. For Saini, it is like dream come true, for she has not only been able to overcome her disability, but also found a stage to display her creativity.

"This platform has helped me to showcase my talent and my art helped me through difficult times," she said. Other artists too showed their excitement about the opportunity. Shivani Vishwakarma (21) from Pithorgargh said it feels really good to be acknowledged. "The NGO has provided us with a platform to showcase our talent and help us grow as artists. I am enjoying every bit of it," she said. (PTI)