My Story: 'I Am A Model With Down Syndrome, I Work At A Café & Break Stereotypes'

I am a 36-year-old aspiring model who loves dancing. After I was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, my family moved from Kolkata to Mumbai to provide me with best medical support and a fruitful path of development. At 6, I was enrolled to the Dilkhush Special School in Mumbai. I studied there for 18 years.

My first encounter with performing arts happened at Shiamak dance school. My parents thought dance would be a good way to develop my social skills. And my parents were right for I loved interacting with my fellow dancers. I would always participate in various dance programmes and mesmerise people with my performance.

Like every teenager, I was also fascinated with television ads and fashion magazines. I saw myself in those ads and photoshoots. I am grateful to my parents for realising my inclination towards modelling and fashion. My mother made a bold move and hired a professional photographer to do my portfolio.

This was a time when no one could imagine a special child being a model. The professional photographer charged an exorbitant price for the shoot, which involved a reel of 36 photographs being clicked. But I thoroughly enjoyed changing more than 10 attires, getting decked up and posing for the camera.

When my portfolio was ready, my mother and I contacted many ad agencies but thanks to stigma and lack of awareness, people failed to see my talent and confidence.

But we did not lose hope.

Eventually, I got an opportunity in a programme called 'Akanksha', organized by our community where I walked the ramp and dazzled everyone with my confidence. The programme is organized every 5 years and I am always their model to walk the ramp.

Recently she even bagged an opportunity to walk the ramp in Times Fashion week in Infinity mall.

In 2019, I went to Yash Charitable trust from Dilkhush Special school to work in Café Arpan in Mumbai as a trainee team member. I believe that one should be involved in various activities for self-development and thus grabbed the opportunity as a trainee in a café.

But with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was very difficult for me to cope with norms like wearing masks and thus I had to postpone the idea of joining Café Arpan as an employee by two years.

However, in June 2022, I rejoined as a trainee in Café Arpan and I am now an employee at the café where I go thrice a week and indulge myself in all the chores, be it making tea or chopping vegetables.

Inspired by Ashrita's determination? Hire her here for any modelling opportunities.

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