COOKE TOWN: Kirti Ramgopal P, a Bharathanatyam dancer and teacher, experienced a true sense of accomplishment recently. Her student, 12-year-old Krithika K has been selected for a scholarship under the Cultural Talent Search Scheme 2014 of the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, Ministry of Culture.
It is probably a bigger moment for Kirti as she has taken her first step towards making Krithika self-dependent.
For 15 years, Krithika's family has been employed in the Ramgopal household as domestic help. Her father is a mason and also does odd jobs in their house. "She grew up in our house and is family now. I feel happy that I have helped this talented child achieve this. It inspires me to do more," says Kirti.
It was usually after school that Krithika would watch Kirti practice for upcoming performances. And then one evening in 2009 Kirti's mother took the young enthusiast to a performance. She was hooked. "The poses, expressions, music—I loved everything about the dance form. It was mesmerising," says the Class 8 student.
Back home, Kirti immediately recognised the spark and started training her. "I want her to recognise her passion and do better than what her parents have. She is a fast learner. Later, she can make a career out of this. She can open a school and take classes," says Kirti and adds that the scholarship is a good platform for her. "I saw an ad about the scholarship on their website and applied. This scholarship is a motivation for this young girl from an underprivileged background to achieve more and carve a niche for herself in the future," she says.
Krithika got a call for an interview at Chitra Kala Parishath. A panel of three judges found her deserving and her scholarship was conformed. She will get `300 a month till she is 21. "Since I don't want any money for teaching her, I have told her parents to save this money. It will come in handy when she starts performing," says Kirti.
Krithika wants to be a professional Bharatnatyam dancer like 'akka', and a civil engineer. "This scholarship has made my parents and teachers proud," she says. Her mother recalls how young Krithika would come back from dance performances and then imitate the dancer in front of the mirror.
"Kirti would take her to watch recitals with her. This really sparked her interest. I hope she realises her dreams no matter what they are," she says.