Ankita Panda is a name familiar to the reader’s of Bolokids. She delighted us with her lovely poems full of love, hope and happiness and her thought provoking and inspiring articles.

Born on June 23, 1991, she was detected with a severe problem in her spinal cord a few days after birth. She was confined to a wheelchair quite early in life. But this did not dampen her spirits or shackle her creativity. Her talent bloomed and blossomed and she went on to carve a niche for herself as an exceptionally gifted child.

She went on to learn classical dance and music and created history of sorts. She performed the traditional classical Odissi dance from the wheel chair on 28th December, 2008, in front of dignitaries like the governor and the tourism minister of Orissa. She was learning Odissi Classical Music under the able guidance of her guru and could render bhajans dedicated to the Lord while playing the harmonium. She also was picking up the nuances of Tribal Art after having mastered other forms of creative expression on the canvas. She was also one of the few artists privileged to etch her feelings and share her views on the Wall of Peace, a joint collaboration of BMC—Bakul Foundation and the Axis bank.

Ankita was a winner of several prestigious awards including the Anjali Award for Bravery and the Red Cross Award.

Ankita left us all for her heavenly abode after suffering a stroke on 18th July. It all happened in just 30 seconds leaving her near and dear ones stunned and shattered forever.

May she continue to inspire and elevate all of us with her creativity, effervescence, energy and enthusiasm. May her soul rest in peace.  

Image under license with Gettyimages.com