by Shriya Kale
from United States
Heroes are not always people who win battles or hold a great sense
of power. Sometimes, a hero is a person who refuses to give up when life
tests them in the harshest ways. Sudha Chandran, one of India's more
celebrated classical dancers, represents this act of heroism. She is a
powerful woman whose story is not only about pain and suffering, but about
courage and determination. This is why I chose her to be my hero: she
shows me what it truly means to rise after falling, to keep moving when the
world expects you to stop.
Sudha Chandran was a talented Bharatnatyam dancer from a ripe
young age. But at the age of 16 her life changed in ways she could never
imagine. After a serious accident, her right leg had to be amputated. For
many people, this would have marked the end of their dancing career and
ending their drive of courage. But for Sudha, it was the beginning of a new
chapter. With incredible determination, she learned to walk again using a
prosthetic limb, or in other words, “The Jaipur foot.” What makes her story
remarkable is not just that she walked- she danced again. She trained
vigorously, pushing through the pain, and the thoughts of never being able
to dance the same way again. Later, after many years of hard work and
dedication, she returned to the stage with the same grace and elegance as
before. Her comeback was stronger than ever, and not only did she prove
her talent, she proved to everyone that anything is possible.
I chose Sudha Chandran to be my hero because her journey inspires
me to face my own challenges with strength. She teaches me that success
is not how easy life is going, but how we face it when times get difficult.
Whenever I find myself in a position where I feel discouraged in my own
dancing, I think about her. How she had to hold in those tears for the
excruciating pain she had with every dance step. She constantly reminds
me that dreams are not meant to be abandoned, they are meant to be
fought for.
Bharatnatyam has a very deep and sacred meaning for both Sudha
Chandran and I. For her it was more than a dance, it was her identity, and
her passion. Even after the accident, Bharatanatyam became her sense of
healing and strength. Through dance, she rediscovered herself and pushed
to limits she never knew was possible. For me, Bharatanatyam is a form of
connection-connection to my culture, to emotion, and a connection to
myself. Sudha Chandran's life tells a powerful story: that determination can
rewrite one's destiny, and that passion can overcome the pain.
