Special children present a dance at Sankaradeva Kalakshetra on Wednesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Aug. 9: Abracadabra....gili gili phooo....

As one magic trick after another mesmerised spectators at the packed auditorium of the International Convention Centre at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra today, audiences had no inkling that the magicians performing on the podium were bereft of “any magic” in their lives.

Trained under magician Sudhansu Das, the first magic troupe of the country comprising physically challenged children, aptly proved that physical handicap can be won over by sheer determination and hard work and they, too, can be a part of mainstream society.

The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi) under its Cooperative Social Responsibility Scheme invited physically and mentally challenged children to perform magic, songs and dance numbers on their 12th Incorporation Day.

Chairman-cum-managing director of NEDFi, Kashi Nath Hazarika said, “Since our inception we have been associated with several social issues and working for physically and mentally challenged persons is one of them.”

NEDFi also donated Rs 4.71 lakh to the North East Disabled Development Society, an NGO, working to provide employment opportunities for the disabled. With this amount, the society will provide 25 mobile PCOs to physically challenged people to earn their livelihood.

Veteran singers Khagen Mahanta and Archana Mahanta were present on the occasion. The function also had a good dose of glamour as cinestar Kapil Bora anchored the show.

Students from nine NGOs of the city, under the banner of Pragati, enthralled the audience with songs and dance numbers. The function started with a dance performance on the Gayatri mantra by students of Saraswati Bagdhani, a school for the hearing impaired.

Silsila Das, an orthopaedically challenged singer of Sishu Sarothi, got a huge round of applause after her rendition of a melodious modern Assamese song. An emotional Das said, “I had never dreamt that the audience will appreciate my performance so much. I want to take up singing as a career and cut my own solo album.”

Mukul Chandra Goswami, the secretary of Ashadeep, a home for mentally challenged people, said, “NEDFi’s initiative of supporting the cause of physically and mentally challenged people will go a long way in creating a bridge between the challenged and normal citizens of society.”

A group of 15 physically challenged people underwent professional training on performing magic for a period of six weeks under a project of the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre in the city last year. Of the 15, five persons, Prince Choudhury, Haren Das, Ranjit Bharali, Monika Hira and Bhumita Saharia have formed their own troupe and performed across the country.