Daughter of a tailor, Chandana, a Class 9 student who topped the state-level art competition and was selected for the Kala Utsav, had almost lost hope due to frequent power cuts in her village. Subsequent lockdowns played spoilsport as she lost out on training when schools were shut.
Sangeetha was determined to train Chandana for the national competition. She convinced Chandana’s parents and took her home to Mysuru, where she gave her hands-on experience in using the machinery. “We had very little time to prepare for the event. With schools shut, it was difficult to train the students,” says Sangeetha. Despite using the machines for just three days, the talented Chandana bagged second prize, not possible without her teacher’s effort