Specially-Abled Ayush N Chandra, 23, has proved that you need determination and the inner strength to achieve goals. Despite dealing with total hearing loss, he’s a trained Kathak dancer and tabla player. On the occasion of the International Disability Day, Ayush was conferred the National Award for the Empowerment of the Persons with Disabilities 2019 in the role model category by the Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu, also comprising a citation and Rs 1 lakh prize.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Vigyan Bhawan, organised this event on Tuesday. Elated by his son’s achievement is Bikash Chandra, an advocate at the Supreme Court. “Ayush underwent speech therapy at AIIMS, which makes him understand what people are saying. He can even communicate using Google translator. But he can’t hear and feels the vibrations of music to perform. This year, he performed Kathak with normal students at UN headquarters New York and a solo performance at Times Square on International Yoga Day.”
This BSc student in Physical Education at Dayal Singh College learnt yoga from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga. He proactively raises awareness about issues that the hearing and speech impaired face in India and abroad. Bikash says Ayush had secured admission for computer science in three NYC colleges last year.
“But we couldn’t send him due to lack of funds. We are trying to gather money to make him join the course by next year,” says Chandra. Ayush studied with 40 normal students at Navy Children School, Chanakyapuri, till Class 12.
With guidance from his elder brother – Apoorv Om, a hearing and speech impaired activist – support from parents and an indomitable zeal in his heart, he’s keen to achieve great things.