Kochi artist recalls how former president changed his life

KOCHI: For Anjan Satish, the demise of Abdul Kalam has come as a silent shock. The 27-year-old deaf artist recollects meeting the former president a decade ago. The vast was a turning point in his life, he believes even today.It was in 2005 that Anjan met Kalam when he visited the Adarsh Charitable Trust in Kureekkad. "The president was interacting with the students when the school director introduced Anjan as an artist. Kalam used animated gestures and sought a sketch and posed before him for a minute. He then proceeded to meet other student. In five minutes Anjan completed two sketches and Kalam was surprised. He signed one and gave it back to Anjan," said Lathika Satheesh, his mother who works at the high court."You are a great artist Anjan, he had said," reminisced his father Satheesh Kumar, a manager with Federal Bank.The President invited Anjan, appreciated his work and took a photo with him. The picture appeared on the 54th page of his book Turning Points: A journey through challenges. "It could have been that blessing which motivated Anjan to become an established artist," said Kumar. It was Anjan who informed the family about Kalam's death. "He must have remembered the moments spent with the former president, who is his role model," said Kumar. Anjan Satish suffers from cerebral palsy and is hearing impaired. He is half-blind and has locomotor disability.