Unearthing talent

Come mid-April, the stage is set for ‘Rainbow’ — a cultural show organised by the Rotaractors of District 3291 for differently-abled and underprivileged children of Kolkata. The district has been hosting the show since 2007 and with every year the number of participants and the talent unearthed have been on the rise. “The programme has been close to all our hearts for so many years and we look forward to organising it every year. It aims at including these children in the cultural space that is largely denied to them due to their peculiarities or economical status,” says DRR Pradip Dutta.

Music and arts see no religion, language or social status and reach out to the senses and the soul without discrimination.

Rainbow is a district project and all Rotaract clubs of the district pitch in with their efforts to bring children  onto the grand stage on a particular day. Children from schools and other rehabilitation centres participate in the event. This year 37 children from various organisations across Kolkata showcased their talent in music, dance and skit.

The participants were provided lunch and refreshments on this day. “The beauty of the programme is that we do not judge any child. Every child is gifted; every child is special. So we gift every participant a memento and certificate,” says Dutta.

The district funds for the programme and few clubs also pitch in with their contributions. A ten-member committee takes care of the logistics for the show. Programme Chair Oindrik ­Chatterjee and Co-chair Soumik Nath were responsible for this year’s version of Rainbow held at the Rotary Sadan.

Music and arts see no religion, language or social status and reach out to the senses and the soul without discrimination. This is the foundational premise of Rainbow. The idea is to bind all children — differently-abled or economically deprived — into an inclusive society and give them the joy of experiencing the beauty and harmony of creative arts, besides promoting healing and therapeutic effects in children with special needs, explains Dutta.

Highlighting the classical dance performance of Anurag Bhowmick, a child with Down’s Syndrome, and a visually-challenged Shiny Tarik, the DRR reiterates how amazing it is to see children rise above their challenges, given the right platform and “a little bit of encouragement and love.”