A smile-evoking present for the President from a boy

The pencil drawing by Aju V.J.

At a civic reception where time was of the essence, a brief moment was all it took for Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh to present to President Droupadi Murmu a memento on behalf of the Kudumbashree – a pencil drawing of the smiling President.

The artist is a 12-year-old boy from Wayanad on the autism spectrum. Aju V.J. is a student of Thirunelly grama panchayat BUDS Paradise Special School.

Son of Jomon and Jisha of Kattikulam, near Mananthavady, Aju had been interested in drawing since young. He would attend a nearby school with his siblings. But when autism spectrum disorder cast its shadow over him, he was admitted to the Thrissilery BUDS school for special care and attention. It was here that school Principal C.S. Ashique and other teachers supported Aju’s interest in drawing.

Aju V.J.

Siddharth, a Plus Two student of Government Higher Secondary School, Mananthavady, helped him with his art, and gradually Aju began drawing whatever came to mind. Often, his autsim prevented him from completing many a drawing. Gradually though, with encouragement to draw only when he felt like it, Aju began completing his drawings.

Along with his classmates, he took part in the BUDS school arts festival in Ernakulam and drew everyone’s attention. This was also where the opportunity to draw the President came his way.

The BUDS school where Aju has been a student for three years has 38 students in all – 14 boys and 24 girls. As Aju’s pencil drawing of the President accompanies her to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the school and the village are rejoicing. His parents and teachers though have been trying to make him understand the identity of the subject of his artwork.