Special Feature, Nidhi Kundra, New Delhi, Sep, 2020

Let me introduce this bundle of energy, joy and determination to you!

Saiyanshi Pathania is a prolific storyteller who refuses to be stereotyped by anyone, despite her condition of learning disability. Having been admired as steel wrapped in fur by her teachers, Saiyanshi is an artistically inclined child with a high level of empathy and sensitivity.  She was a premature baby and the doctors feared her survival, confining her to the incubator for two and a half months. But this miracle girl survived it all, surprising the doctors and bringing the unsurpassed joy of motherhood to her mom.

As is the case with all pre-term babies, all her milestones were delayed. However, she was always too happy to be in school. She enjoyed the company of her friends but her teachers reported learning difficulties. This was where the battle for her parents and Saiyanshi began. Her mother quit her job and dedicated herself completely to Saiyanshi. Her mother recalls her as a very understanding child, who never threw any tantrums. Her sincerity, hard work and eagerness to learn defied all declarations of her limited ability to learn.

Even as a baby, Saiyanshi always loved listening to stories. She has a huge collection of books despite the fact that she cannot read properly. Saiyanshi wins over all her shortcomings with the awareness that she has limitations and with the desire to break through them. As a visual learner, her perception of art is way better than any of us in this world.

Slowly with interventions and therapies, her language improved and with that improved her confidence. The Covid-Lockdown made everyone dive into their hidden capabilities and it was during this time that Kartab Kalakar discovered her one true love — Storytelling. Saiyanshi now has her own YouTube channel by the name – Spin A Tale, where she expresses herself and teaches positive values. There has since been an evident change in her personality and confidence. During the recordings there is much less stuttering and the glow of this proud achievement resonates in her aura. She has also participated in a play screened online by Dubai-based Determined and Dramatic Theatre Group, encouraging the talent in children who are fearless and outgoing.

Saiyanshi teaches all of us our inability to break barriers and to make the impossible possible. Determined to challenge, to experiment, to explore and to be a genius is our Kartab Kalakar Saiyanshi Pathania.

Though Saiyanshi’s childhood has been nothing close to normal, she has taken every challenge in her stride and never complained. A child with learning disability teaching a moral in the end of her story video is the best thing. It shows there is more than one way to learn and we need to look beyond traditional teaching methods to bring out the best in our children.

Pallavi Pathania, her mother adds, “I am happy that the extra time we got due to lockdown lead us to such an unexpected discovery. I never thought in my wildest of dreams that Saiyanshi would ever be doing something like this. I strongly advocate that we need to start looking beyond the societal expectations and stop comparing our kids with others. our children’s talent will surprise us and those around us. We need to encourage our kids to achieve their full potential and no one can do it better then the parents.”

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2 COMMENTS

  1. All the best Saiyanshi, Keep rocking. Kudos to Mom Pallavi Pathania for driving her learning. Thanks Keeki.in for showcasing this talent.

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