Mangalore: Student Akshayaraj Wins Talent Contest Tour to Japan; Seeks Financial Help
By Sunil Haleyangady
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RD)
Mangalore, May 19: It’s the saga of a boy who was chosen for a tour of Japan by winning the first place in the state-level talent contest. He had challenged his arts teacher that he would reach the first place by undergoing tough training. All the students that were trained by the arts teacher for the talent contest in the past had failed miserably, but this boy turned out to be an exception.
He is none other than 15-year-old Akshayaraj Kumar Shetty, Class X student of KPSK Memorial High School, Kilpady–Panjinadka, near Mulky. Akshayaraj is one of three children of Kolakady Jayaraj and Sunita Shetty.
Venki Yane Venkataramana Kamath, the arts teacher of Panjinadka School, had chosen three students to train them in clay modeling for a talent contest like every year. When these three students failed in the contest, Akshayaraj begged the teacher to train him. He also assured his teacher that he would surely be successful in the contest. He kept his promise after rigorously undergoing the training and emerging successful in the contest.
Akshayaraj bagged the first places in the taluk-level and district-level talent competitions, while his clay model of a traditional ‘Bhajan’ troupe bagged the first place in the state-level talent competition held in Chitradurga in January. All the leading dailies in Chitradurga carried the sensational report and photos of his major achievement on the front page of their publications.
Japan Tour:
Akshayaraj was chosen along with 50 students who bagged first places in individual categories at the state-level talent contest to attend ‘JENESYS Youth Convention’ that is scheduled to be held in Japan at the end of May. Shailesh Meladu and Akhila Puttur are the others chosen from Dakshina Kannada district.
Poverty-ridden Family:
Akshayaraj hails from a poor family. His father Jayaraj Shetty is a daily wage earner and his mother Sunita supplements the income by ‘bidi’ roling. Their house located behind Kalikamba temple, Kolakady, near here was fully damaged in a major mishap in which a truck overturned. A generous donor donated a small housing plot and others contributed in building a residence for them. Akshayaraj elder sister Soumya studies in I PUC and Ashwini in Class IX. Despite acute poverty, the family lives on. A donor has contributed for applying for the passport of Akashyaraj a few days ago.
Akshayaraj has got all the talent and imagination to create masterpieces in clay modeling. If given proper training and financial resources, surely he will become a top artist in the future. All that he needs is helping hands in extending financial support!
“Akshayaraj has a creative mind and inherent talent in art. He can carve out a bright future, if provided with proper training,” says Venki, arts teacher, Panjinadka.
“Akshayaraj needs financial assistance owing to acute poverty. I am taking a keen interest in organize his Japan tour, due to his good character,” says K H Nayak, physical training instructor, Panjinadka School.
“We expect Akshayaraj to support our entire family. We try our best out of meager resources to provide facilities to him. However, we are distressed due to our economical condition,” says Jayaraj Shetty, father of Akshayaraj.
“I have observed greatness in his humble beginnings. He needs proper training. If he gets it, he will certainly become a top artist,” says Rajendra Bhat K, national trainer of Jaycees India International (JCI).
“I aspire to become a top artist like my arts teacher Venki. I am trying at home daily in this regard. In order to tide over the economical difficulty and to support our parents, we three children are earning by doing odd jobs during our summer vacation,” says Akshayaraj.
Contact No.: 0091-9742578203 (Jayaraj Shetty)