19/07/2026
Last year, I began working with the Aldona Art Foundation. Our primary focus was to foster a sense of connection between children and the visual arts, and to help them express their thoughts and emotions more freely through drawing and painting. As part of this initiative, we conducted a series of art sessions in various schools. Later, we organized a scholarship program for children at our centre in Aldona. The response from the children was overwhelmingly positive and encouraging.
However, throughout this entire process, one thought kept returning to my mind. I noticed that some children were able to express themselves more naturally and confidently through their body language, movement, and performance than through visual art alone. This made me wonder if there was something more we could offer them to nurture this form of expression.
It took another academic year before that question found its answer. Eventually, through Ketan Jadhav and Theatre Flamingo, Goa, this idea began to take shape. The initiative also received wholehearted support from the founder of the Aldona Art Foundation, Vishal Nagdev.
From that point onward, everything seemed to unfold beautifully. A theatre summer camp was organised for the children. The dedication with which Ketan trained them, the rehearsals he conducted, and the play he developed with them were truly remarkable. The performance was first staged at our centre, where it was warmly appreciated by the audience. Over the past few days, the children have also performed the same play in their school.
While watching the performance, my attention was not only on the stage but also on the children sitting in the audience. Their faces reflected curiosity, joy, and, most importantly, the confidence that "we can do something like this too."
Watching all of this unfold filled me with a deep sense of fulfilment. It felt as though a beautiful circle had finally come full circle.
