KOCHI: This 30-year-old is hearing impaired and has cerebral palsy, but these disabilities have not pulled him down. Instead, through sheer will Anjan Satish today has become a well-known face in the art circle. His skill and talent with the brush have won him many accolades including the Cavinkare Ability Award.
According to Anjan’s father Satish, his son took up the brush at the tender age of five. “He used to play with colours and began drawing at six. He has not received any training in doing caricature or paintings. It comes naturally to him,” he said.
Recognising his innate talent in drawing caricatures and cartoons, Anjan was made the honorary member of the Kerala Cartoon Academy. “He was also named the icon of the academy in 2015. This is a first in the history of the academy,” said Anjan’s father.
Anjan did his schooling at the Adarsh Special School. “He also learnt 3D animation at Toonz Academy,” said Satish. “He is, at present, teaching computer and art at his former alma mater.” According to Satish, the students at the school are able to easily connect with him.
“They find it easy to communicate with him and Anjan also enjoys being there. He has been teaching at the school for the past eight years,” he said.
He won a national award for Outstanding Creative Adult with Disabilities, instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. His other achievements include awards like Amrita Keerthy Puraskaaram (Amritanandamayi Math) at the age of eight, Rotary International Special Talent Award (2001) and the Medal in Art at the National Abylimpics, Chennai (2005).
He has held many exhibitions all over the country. He organised an exhibition of his work at Kerala High Court in 2009, becoming the first artist to hold an exhibition inside the High Court and to get a full court honour.
“As of now, we have not put up his creations for sale. Of course, we have sold a few of his creations. But only if somebody approaches us showing interest in buying one of his caricature or cartoon works,” said Satish. What Anjan loves the most is to draw cartoons and upload them on Facebook.
Anjan writes in his blog, “disability cannot defeat me ..straining to reach there for which I am made for..aiming to become a legend with which what I have in me ...I do not know where I will reach ...what I am made for...” Surely, this young man has defeated disability.