NEHA BANERJEE MAY 2017
Neha Banerjee am delighted to share the
Istory of my life with you for " WOW " - Women ' s Excellence Awards .
" I started getting trained in Kathak at a very tender age of 3 . Without even knowing , the love for Kathak turned into passion and from passion to my life . I was fortunate enough to get trained by legendar y exponents of Kathak like Pt ., Birju Maharaj Ji . In a very early age i started performing all over India and winning best of trophies in my name . At the age of 16 I was selected for a Close-Up TV Commercial .
But as it is said - " time tests everyone ", and so was my love for Kathak tested by God . I was hardly 16 years old and was preparing to leave for Mumbai for my advertisement shoot when i met with a life altering accident . In accident I broke my left leg completely , there was a major bone loss , tissue loss and muscle loss . i was told by Doctors that I will never be able to walk ever again , dance was out of question for every one - except for me . I was happy that I could see my leg and it was not amputated . I had a belief in myself and knew that no power on this earth can stop me from dancing . I went through horrible pains & agonies only t o s t r e n g t h e n m y determination to dance . I could not move from bed for 1 full year , i was not even able to sit neither I was able to turn sideways while sleeping . For one year i used to lye in one position . i focused to try and sit in �rst place , it took me six month and I succeeded to sit . that was my �rst victory . Gradually with lots of efforts i started walking with the help of Polio braces . That was my second victory in another 6 months . Doctors were happy to see me walking with the help of braces which was last thing they expected me to do with all my efforts provided .
But for me this was the beginning to start my �ght against the conspiracy of nature to test my patience a n d l o v e f o r K a t h a k . Everyday for 5 minutes , i started practicing " Tatkar " the footwork of Kathak with the polio braces on my leg . I continued this practice for another one year . I used to go and sit in my dance class for hours together to atleast feel the rhythm ( Taal ). Which used to motivate me all the more to get up and dance . My dance teacher was bewildered to see me doing footwork with the braces , she asked me to stop it as she was afraid that I might break my leg again . But i was aware nothing can deter me from dancing again . I continued the process and Ryaz for more than 1 year with braces . And my �rst performance in Nagpur was with the braces . This process continued for a while and I decided to test my ability further and started practicing without the braces . After 4 years of constant efforts and struggle , I not only started walking like normal people but i danced better than most dancers . It was not easy journey for me as when I started dancing again there were bunch of young girls who were more energetic . It was challenge for me to match their level of energy . I had to put my 200 % to match their level . i am delighted and grateful to God for providing me with so much of energy , willpower and quality of determination that I have overcome everything and have been able to achieve s u c c e s s i n m y c a r e e r .
The ordeal of accident did not stopped within those 4 - 5 years . It continued further by damaging my lever , health and I gained weight in coming years due to medicines and steroids . but I have " never say d i e a t t i t u d e " , I w a s determined to excel .
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