My Story: 'I Am Artist With Autism And I Have Many Feathers In My Cap'

An artist has many feathers in their hat. I have tried to follow that path too by singing, memorising hundreds of songs and reproducing any logo or artwork perfectly. I have an impeccable photogenic memory.

I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of 3, and back at that time when the term wasn't well known.

As a child, I was sensitive to light, sound, and smell. My parents did innumerable consultations with doctors, and support groups, and put me on medications to give me a childhood just like the other children of my age.

At a very early stage, I found my identity as a singer as my parents did everything to harness those required skills.

I'm fortunate to have worked with the who's and who of the music industry including the Veena maestro, Rajesh Vaidhya. I was a part of a Special Performance at the Voice of UAE Reality and of the Thirukkural project by south Indian music director Bharadwaj.

I am a lead singer of the 'Ability Group', a band of children with various disabilities and we have performed at the Emirates Literary Festival, Wollongong, and have been featured on Zee TV, NTV, Amrita TV, and Jaya TV.

I have memorised around 2,000 songs and also remember the name of the musician, movie, and music director for each song.

I think to shine in the world, there is no requirement except talent, for anyone to be in the spotlight.

I'm grateful that my voice has managed to strike a chord not only with the singing community but also with people from different backgrounds including one of India's premium menswear brands, Derby.

I was recently selected as a model for their clothing shoot along with three other persons with autism. I even showed my talent to Derby's CEO Vijay Kapoor.

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