Bound by vision of a different kind Falguni Banerjee Saturday, May 9, 2009 3:28 IST Vashi: They are blind but their spirits continue to remain high. Their love for music is what binds them together. After performing in many cities across India, this team of 13 disabled artists is all set to fly to the USA and Canada to perform before an enthused crowd. The confidence of the members of the National Organisation of Disabled Artists is mind blowing. Together, they can set the stage on fire with their heart-touching performance. "We are going to perform in cities like New York, Washington, Dallas, New Jersey and Toronto, Vancouver in Canada. It's a dream come true," said Kishore Gohil, the troupe's compere and organisation's general secretary. The team consists of keyboardists Sarfaraz Qureshi and Mahesh Naik, flutist Kiran Venkar, Deepak Kamble on the tabla, Augustine Chetiyar on the octopads and stampler, Chiran Bhapkar on the congo and dholak. Mangala Sunny and Bipin Vartak are vocalists while the show is directed by Suyash Setpal. The team is led by manager Ramesh Yadav. Shravan Kumar sings in both male and female voices. "Wherever we have performed, the society has always welcomed us with open arms. The response is touching. We are glad to get this opportunity, as it will open many new doors for us. There is so much scope for those who want to do good work," said Bipin Vartak, a team member. The band sings several popular Hindi and Gujarati songs. These 13 artists will, most probably, leave for USA on May 11. Established in December 2000, the organisation aims at creating employment opportunities for the artists by conducting such entertainment shows. These programmes also help create awareness about disabled artists and promote their talent. By conducting such events, the organisation hopes to fight discrimination against disabled artists. "Initially, each of us struggled to make a mark in the industry. We then realised it would be best if we came together," said another team member. "We did not have our own instruments. A ticket show helped us earn money to buy them," said Gohil. "No company worked with us initially. Finally, we met the founders of Rangat Productions. They agreed to work with us as partners. We then tied up with RICS Entertainment for lights, costumes and design. Together, we completed more than 250 shows in India and abroad in last two years." The organisation has joined hands with Shriji of Columbus for their shows in USA and Canada. They have released three albums. Their first album in Marathi titled Aaj Mee Ganaraya Vandile was released by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray.
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