Disabled people or rather differently-abled people, as the term is now used are second to none when it comes to depicting art and culture/or their talents. One might wonder seeing them performing as to how they are  trained, how they are able to perform at the level they perform/ how they are able to deliver par excellence performance.

There are NGO’s and individuals  working  in this direction, trying their level best  to bring them into  the mainstream and making them lead as normal a life as any healthy person does.

There are many  organizations working for and helping differently-abled people. One such set-up is “SRISTI COMMUNICATIONS”. This agency handles and manages theatre groups of and for people with disabilities. Its main aim is to incorporate these people into normal  life pattern and make them realize that inspite of their disabilities , they can lead life with dignity and with their self-esteem intact.

In our conservative society, people have apprehensions and inhibitions regarding differently -abled people. People usually have this feeling of “repulsion” at the mention of a physical or mental disability. This is where such organizations come handy. They try to eliminate the self-induced perception of the society  that disabled people cannot lead a normal life.

SRISTI COMMUNICATIONS  helps such people in overcoming their shortcomings. They do so by  making them showcase their abilities in various fields of art and culture on a professional platform. SRISTI’S producer  Mr. Ajay Sharma was forthcoming in expressing his views and ambitions in uplifting differently-abled people through  his set-up. He says his primary goal is to make people understand that with support and care, differently-abled people  can rise and match the levels and expectations that of a normal person.

Therefore, they put in optimum effort to train differently-abled people in various forms of art and culture.It organizes dance theatres in which these children get opportunities to express their hidden  talents.

“WORLD DISABILITY DAY” is celebrated every year on 3rd December , 2005. Mr. Ajay’s “disabilitytheatre,com” will be celebrating disability week from December 1st to 7th , 2005. “POSSIBLE”, the week long cultural festival is being organized in association with AAMAD, a registered society dedicated for integrated arts education for the differently-abled people. It will feature world-class theatre productions, paintings and an International film festival – by and on differently-abled artists and actors.

As Guru Paasha, the coordinator of these theatre groups revealed, they do not encounter any problem in training them.  He told these people might be physically or mentally disabled but they possesss strong grasping power. They follow their teachers with conviction and their disability is no hindrance in bringing the best out of them. When they are put to practice, they pour  their heart and soul into it. A deaf and dumb person can’t hear the music, can’t speak but despite that they feel the rhythm and when they perform on stage with background music playing, the audiences  respond with applause which give the trainees and the trainer immense satisfaction. The audience appreciation is an encouragement for the disabled and the people associated with them. In fact, the  dedication and hard work prompts people to make contributions and help these people constructively. People  do come forward to aid them and it is the outcome of their efforts that people like Mr. Ajay Kumar can manage and support differently-abled people.

Their performances are not confined at national level alone. They are taken to perform abroad too.

Not only this, there is complete effort on the part of these organizations to “evolve them thoroughly”  and make them part of the society as a whole. This is done either through making them join schools for education or providing them life-long employment. There is a provision of giving meritorious students scholarships too. What is meant is that all round development of the child is the prime motto.

Mr. Ajay Kumar also said there is a pressing need to educate people in small cities, towns and  far-flung areas more than people in metropolis. Because people in big cities might understand  but people in remote areas in our country look down upon it as a ‘curse’ or ‘stigma’ which can be eliminated if they are made to come forward and accept differently-abled people as normal people. People are helping Mr. Ajay in this endeavour. Not only this, he intends to make his students perform with renowned art houses and celebrities.

If people with disabilities are provided an opportunity to perform with say Shiamak Davar troupe, then the whole purpose of altering people’s thoughts, perceptions, fixed notions about disability would be served. This is the need of the hour.

Mr Ajay also said there is no dearth of finances as long as big corporate houses, agencies come  forward to extend help. But he is disillusioned with the government’s indifferent attitude. He said that bureaucratic tangles are a big obstacle in seeking tax exemption  for the performances. He could not succeed and eventually decided to pay.

Mr. Ajay says in the word “DIS-ABILITY”, the word ability is hidden. ‘DIS’ is overcome or gets removed by their sheer zeal to overpower their disability and thus remains ‘ABILITY’ which they show when they perform.

He says that society  needs to understand that differently-abled people are after all “living”  beings and harbour the same feelings , the same emotions, the same attitudes as any normal person has. Their world  is no different. By bringing them into the mainstream and negating their neglect, the society in turn is  serving itself. People get an insight into the fact that they have tremendous talent  and with little encouragement, they can  lead a productive life.

But it’s a long way to go before this dream is realized.