Debarnita recites a poem by Tagore. Picture by Rith Basu

Her growth may have been stunted by a genetic bone disorder, but when eight-year-old Debarnita Bose takes the stage, she stands tall.

Debarnita excels in poetry recitation and has won awards and accolades at numerous recitation competitions.

The young resident of Muchipara in East Behala is suffering from a genetic bone disorder that has affected her growth and movement. But the spirited girl, who cannot attend school — and hence cannot read very well — has memorised over 150 poems.

Her latest achievement was bagging the fourth prize at a contest organised by the Tagore Foundation at the Nehru Children’s Museum on August 29. Debarnita won a scholarship of Rs 1,200.

She has also won awards at competitions organised by the South Calcutta Children’s Fair, Ramakrishna Pallimangal Samity and Udbhas Shishu Bhavna Kendra.

“I feel a little nervous just before competitions, when my father carries me to the chair on the podium. But once I start reciting, I feel at home,” said Debarnita.

“She is suffering from osteogenesis imperfecta, which has no cure yet. Her condition can improve only through physiotherapy,” said her doctor, S. Das.

Debarnita memorises poems just by repeating the lines after her father, Sushanta, a state government employee. Her favourite poet is Sukumar Ray and favourite poem Ray’s Bhoy Peyo Na. She also recites poems by Tagore, Nazrul Islam, Syed Mustafa Siraj and Somenath Chattopadhyay.

Her style of recitation has won her fans in the locality, who visit her regularly. “I first heard her recite at a para function and liked her style of delivery. It’s as if the words come out from the depths of her heart,” said neighbour Sayan, who studies in Class VI.