A dancing star disabled not in spirit

Warangal: Noted British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Stephen William Hawking, paralysed due to motor neurone disease, once said ‘my advice to disabled people is concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well.., don’t be disabled in spirit.’

24-year-old Gandham Santhosh whose legs are paralysed due to polio at the age of two epitomises what Hawking’s words intended to convey to those who are differently abled. He is proving himself what he could do by means of his artistic skill, that is, dance.

He hails from Challagarige village of Chityal mandal in Warangal district. After being abandoned by his father following the death of his mother, Santhosh was nurtured by teachers and missionaries at Infant Jesus Convent at Reddypallem on the outskirts of Warangal town where completed his schooling.

“When I was in second class I watched my classmates dancing during annual day celebrations. I too tried to dance and without support of legs it seemed a lot difficult initially. But the teachers have encouraged me and it boosted my morale”.

“I continued to move by body to the filmy tunes using my hands and started perform at annual day events. I learnt dancing on my own. At the school there were another five members like me and I trained them to dance’ Santhosh said explaining his inspirational tale to The Hans India”.

He claims that noted cinema actor director and choreographer Lawrence Raghavendra is his inspiration. To give a proper shape to their skills Santhosh and his friends established ‘The Challenge Dream Dance Troupe’ in 2014 and have been performing under the banner ever since.

The troupe comprises Putta Vineel-a keyboard player, Jelly Rakesh-a singer, dancers Veldandi Naresh, R Netaji and Dole Aravind. They perform at events like Ganesh Navaratri, private functions which helps them make some money.

“We all believe in one thing- It is our ability to dance it what matters not our disability. We never feel neglected and don’t expect sympathy from others, we do hard work show the world what we got’ they said”.

Santhosh performed in dance talent shows ‘Champions’ conducted by television channels Gemini, Surya, Udaya and Sun along with ‘Adur-II’ by Etv and won accolades from many sections for his performance.

Along with few others like him he even performed in the climax scenes of recently released Telugu movie ‘Supreme’ starring Sai Dharam Teja and a Tamil movie ‘Nadhigal Nanaivathillai’ in 2014.

He received prize from AICC chief Sonia Gandhi at Samarth-2014, a national programme of dance and merit organised by Union ministry of social justice in New Delhi and excelled at ‘First International Sports and Talent Meet for The Challenged’ held at Chennai as part of Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)-2008.

Revealing his future plans Santhosh said he wants to become a government school teacher and was preparing for D Sc. He completed special D Ed and has been qualified in TET. “Everyone in our troupe has got his own future plan and our common plan is to continue the troupe,” he added.

By James Edwin