Nobel prize-winning Japanese author Kenzaburo Oe gives credit to his son Hikari Oe for shaping his literary career. What makes their bond special is that Hikari, a well-known music composer in that country now, is autistic.
Mehroof Raj, Kozhikode-based doctor and music enthusiast, recalled this in the opening remarks before a music programme by Niranjan, a differently-abled boy from Mezhathur in Palakkad district, here on Tuesday. “Kenzaburo dedicated the whole of his life to grooming his son Hikari’s musical skills and some of his novels turned out to be autobiographical in nature. Niranjan’s father M.R. Ramdas, a school teacher, even took leave to inspire and boost the rare skills of his only son who is suffering from autism. One day, he may also become a famous musician,” said Dr. Raj.
The audience echoed his words as they gave a good round of applause when Niranjan, Class 10 student of Government Higher Secondary School, Mezhathur, deftly navigated through different forms of music compositions such as ghazals, film songs and bhajans.
Songs
Innale mayangumbol..., Baburaj’s classic hit sung by K.J. Yesudas from the movie Anveshichu Kandethiyilla, was followed by songs such as Jab deep jale aana ( Chitchor , Ravindra Jain, Yesudas), Mehdi Hassan’s ghazal Patta patta boota boota, Umbayi’s ghazals Sunayane sumukhi and Veendum Paadam, Mohammed Rafi-Noushad combine’s Madhuban mein radhika ( Kohinoor ). He signed it off with a bhajan, Bajat murali murare ...
“What you are seeing now is the result of our efforts spanning one-and-a-half decades. Niranjan was not like this at all. It was music that changed his life and helped him tide over the difficulties posed by autism,” said Mr. Ramdas. He said it was Dr. Raj who suggested that Niranjan could be taught Hindustani music. It turned out to be a turning point in not only his life, but also that of his grandfather M.P.R. Bhattathirippad, who was battling memory loss. Mr. Bhattathirippad, a music aficionado, showed signs of improvement when his grandson was being taught music. He was among the audience on Tuesday, lapping up each song.
The event was organised by the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. Mr. Ramdas, who works at the Parudur Higher Secondary School near Pallippuram, Palakkad, and his wife, Prajitha, teacher, Government Higher Secondary School, Maranchery, Malappuram, were honoured later.
