New Delhi, Friday, March 02, 2012. 4 Pages www.hindustantimes.com To advertise call Aditya Vashistha: 9971889096 HT Live wishes its readers Happy Holi NOIDA Rajkumari Tankha ■ [email protected] Noida is all set to become dis- abled-friendly. To begin with, the Sector 50 traders associa- tion is making a ramp to make the market accessible to the disabled. The Sector 18 com- mercial complex will come a close second. But it is not the district admin- istration or the Noida Authority that is working towards this. This is because of the hard work of a lone woman who, forced by circumstances, decided to do something. “I am so happy that Sector 50 will be the first wheelchair accessible market in the city,” says Priyanka Malhotra. “The architects are presently work- ing on the designs of the ramp,” she adds. Malhotra is trying to build public awareness by enrolling the government admin- istration. “We want to make movie theatres, schools, mar- ket places and other public facil- ities wheelchair accessible,” she says. This resident of Sector 51, Noida, is a mother of two, the elder of whom, son Nipun is wheelchair bound. Throughout his growing up years, it was a challenge for Malhotra to assimilate him in society. Finding an accessible school, disabled-friendly buses, entertainment places and col- lege were always her major con- cerns. She had found this amiss in all areas of life of the physi- cally challenged, and it great- ly bothered her. “I could make my son’s life comfortable because we are well off. But there are many oth- ers who are not financially sound,” says Malhotra. So in 2006, she joined the NGO, Samarthyam National Centre for Accessible Environment and trained as an accessibility auditor. She later started working with Samarthyam in an honorary capacity. She was also a part of the Samarthyam team that did accessibility audits for Janpath and the Garden of Five Senses in Delhi. “Working in association with the government through Samarthyam I realised that one can get results if the intention is good. People by far are will- ing to help, they are sensitive to these issues, the only thing lacking is awareness,” she says. In 2008, she led a team to Mumbai to ensure that election booths there were disabled- friendly. She presented a report to the then Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla with her recommendations. Last month, Malhotra decid- ed to branch out of Samarthyam and start her own foundation, Nipman. The three focus areas of Nipman are health, dignity and happiness for the disabled. The auto expo goodwill day on January 5, 2012, was coor- dinated by the Nipman team where 50 wheelchair users attended the Auto Expo and were given an opportunity to interact with car manufactur- ers to express their require- ments. Throughout the Auto Expo the Nipman Foundation, in part- nership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), put up booths at the gates at Pragati Maidan to provide wheelchairs to the physically challenged and elderly. “The response was so good that CII wants to partner with Nipman Foundation to provide these facilities at the regional expos in other parts of the coun- try,” she says. “We are trying to build pub- lic awareness by enrolling the administration and are getting a very encouraging response,” says Malhotra. “I started alone in January, and within a month I have got two volunteers, Veena Mathur and Gauri Aggarwal, both res- idents of Sector 50, Noida. I wish more people become sen- sitive about these issues,” she says. “Nearly 10% of India’s pop- ulation is disabled. We want to make all public facilities acces- sible to this population, so that they become more visible out- side their homes, so that they live with dignity and happiness,” adds Malhotra. Apart from this, Malhotra is also working to develop a web- site that will cater specifically to the disabled. barefacts GOVT COLLEGE LIBRARY TO BE RENOVATED The renovation and upgradation of the library in Government Inter College in Sector 12 has started. 349.5 sq m is the area of library 3 months is the time in which the construction work will be completed R500 the annual subscription fees 800 the number of books and magazines in the library jyoti prasad, DISTRICT INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS, GAUTAM BUDH NAGAR Since it was opened in April 2011, the library had been functioning out of a small room. There is no librarian, and till now a staff was given the additional responsibili- ty of managing it. This is the reason why it had just a few members and readers. Once we have a proper building we will also need staff and for this we have already sent a requisition to the State Government. We also expect more members by May. Crusader for the disabled Through her NGO, Priyanka Malhotra is trying to give health, dignity and happiness to the physically challenged Rajkumari Tankha ■ [email protected] She lost her parents at an early age, and was brought up by her paternal uncle in a large joint family. The various experiences quite early in life are reflected in the bronze sculptures of Premlata, a resident of Sector 50, Noida. “Sculpture is a means of expressing my feelings. The rhythm of music and innocence of children move me to shape the forms I create,” says Premlata, 62, sitting amidst her art pieces. She doesn’t hold any degree, diploma or certificate in art. It is only her passion for art that has brought her this far. Though she used to sketch even when she was in school, making a career of it was some- thing she never thought about. This was only expected since there was no one to guide her, advise her, judge her and no one to motivate her either. But this didn’t sadden her. “I got married immediately after Class 11 and got busy with domestic life. I completely enjoyed married life, working for my husband and children,” she says. And finding a voca- tion of her own was something that never occurred to her. It was only in 1995, after her daughter was married that she thought of doing something. “With all the three children set- tled, I had ample time, while earlier, I didn’t have any free time” she says. So on her daughter’s insis- tence, Premlata joined Triveni Kala Sangam, just to kill time. This gave her some mission in life. She looked forward to her sculpture classes in Triveni. Slowly she was drawn towards the art. So much so that she started visiting Triveni five days a week. The first sculpture she made, Dharaatal, was selected by the National Gallery of Modern Art as a permanent exhibit. This boosted her morale and she started making more pieces in bronze. “I love this medium. The different colours this metal gets at different temperatures is simply awesome. You can’t get these shades with any kind of colour mixing,” she says. “I owe a lot to Triveni. My life got a direction there. My art blossomed here. And it is at Triveni that I have made friends with other women artists. I enjoy having discourses with them on art and other sub- jects,” she says. She has had five solo shows so far and participated in a num- ber of group shows. Most of her exhibitions have been at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society or at Triveni Kala Sang- am and Lalit Kala Akademi. Her latest show, Akaar Prakaar, was held at the Triveni Kala Sangam last month. Her works are included in many private collections in USA, Germany, Canada and England. “I have had the privilege of exhibiting abroad since my sons are there and they motivate me to hold shows there,” she says. Other than sculpting, she enjoys travelling and has been almost all over India and abroad too. “My husband worked with the Indian Railways, which gave us ample opportunity to trav- el. And now both my sons are settled abroad so we keep vis- iting them,” she says. Sculpting experiences For Premlata, sculptures are a means to express her feelings ■ Premlata’s first sculpture has been selected by the National Gallery of Modern Art as a permanent exhibit. SUNIL GHOSH / HT PHOTO TALK TO US ■ HT Live has two regular columns, My Colony and My Best Holiday. My Colony is about what you like about the colony you are living in, and My Best Holiday is the best holiday you had in recent times. Both go with the photo- graph of the contributor. Anybody interested in contributing for the same can write to: [email protected] I could make my son’s life comfortable because we are well off. But there are many others who are not financially sound. PRIYANKA MALHOTRA ■ Priyanka Malhotra is trying to build public awareness by enrolling the government administration. SUNIL GHOSH / HT PHOTO Aparna Singh Gupta ■ [email protected] Dr Murugan Pillai, 48, hardly looks his age as he leaves you speechless with a swift sword show. Meet the guru as he prac- tises Kalarippayatu, the martial art form of Kerala. An art form he has been practising for the past 27 years. It all started when as a young- ster in Thiruvananthapuram, he was mesmerised by karate. However, as he belonged to a family of businessmen and physi- cians, these art forms were looked down upon as a means of living. “Over the years I realised that Kalarippayatu just had no parallel. More than anything else it taught self-healing. So I just wanted to learn it,” he says. Once he made up his mind, there was no stop- ping him. After eight years of practice, the turning point came when he was selected by his institute to perform at the Taj Mahal. The show was organised by the Uttar Pradesh tourism depart- ment. “My performances had the audience spell bound,” he adds. But as luck would have it, Pillai shifted to Delhi in 1993 because of family pressure to take up a job. Living on rent in Mayur Vihar phase 3, he decided to earn some money by teaching Kalari to some eager children. Today he conducts workshops all over India and abroad. He also has regular presentations in schools in Delhi, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad. His institute Nithya Chaitha- nya Kalari is empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and affiliated to Nehru Yuva Kendra (under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports) and is also recognised by the Sahitya Kala Parishad and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. “It has been a dream come true for me. I love my work and I am very happy that I believed in it when no one else did,” he says as he gears up for his performance at the ongoing book fair. A dream come true... PREMLATA IS ALWAYS WORKING, IF NOT AT TRIVENI THEN HER BALCONY THAT SHE HAS CONVERTED INTO A STUDIO. ...Is how Dr Murugan Pillai explains his rise in the field of Kalarippayatu in NCR ■ Presently Dr Murugan Pillai is busy preparing for his performance at the ongoing book fair. WASEEM GASHROO / HT PHOTO