Lucid Pictures From Lucid Bhaiya! - Sartaz Ali Barkat

 "I took up Science in 11th Standard, just for fun. But, I soon realized that it isn’t my cup of tea. I was already going through a tough time in my life and I started photography to escape from the troubles. I used to click random pictures and upload them on my personal profile. Lot of people appreciated those pictures and asked me to open a page dedicated to my photography, which I eventually did. I named it “Sartaz Photography".

One of seniors suggested that I should use a unique name for my page. So, I came up with “Lucid Photography”. When I started to gain a little popularity through the page, everyone started approaching me as, “Lucid Bhaiya”. Then, came the username “Lucid Bhaiya”.

Before photography, I was a Jack of all trades. I tried my hands at playing tablas, basketball and cricket, but I left them as soon as I joined. But, with photography, came consistency. It’s been three years now and I am not leaving it anytime soon. 

I absolutely adore Prateek Talreja. He works at a Monginis store in Mumbai. He bought a DSLR randomly and after using it regularly, he became a pro and HOW! Even, Canon sponsored him. I also love Namrata Vedi. She once said, “A person with a camera is just a cameraman, but a person with skills is a photographer”. These guys inspire me and keep me going. I also got to learn a lot from the people who attended my workshop. 

We, a team of photographers, have started a hashtag called “chitramandali”. Once, when in BBSR, a person was standing behind me in queue. I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and he noticed it. He then asked me to use “#chitramandali” for my pictures. When I told him that I am one of the members who initiated the hashtag, he was shook and he praised me. That, literally made my day!

A lot of teenagers feel that photography means having a DSLR. But, it is simply untrue. The fact that I don’t use a DSLR bothers me in no way, because I know photography only requires skills and camera. My phone sufficiently compensates for the latter. Use your talent and whatever resource you have in hand and you are good to go!" – Sartaz Ali Barkat aka Lucid Bhaiya.

Extending Support To The Underprivileged! - Chakradhar Pradhan

 

“In the 80s, education was suppressed due to the ongoing rebellions in the State. The fight had sparked due to the murder of a student. Children belonging to rural areas were majorly affected by this. Since then, it has been my goal to provide quality education to kids who are most exploited. I built an organisation called “Sankalp”, along with a group of advocates, teachers, social workers and 113 students from 9 districts.

We usually enrol Maoists and orphans. To bring them from such challenging backgrounds and help them learn and grow, is a tiring task, which at the end, yields beautiful results. Our children secure first division and go into colleges like Ravenshaw, which is beyond their imagination. Some of them have also started working in companies. Utsa Foundation has also helped us with this. If this is the fruit of our efforts, I don’t mind persevering.

A girl named, Sita Mallick, used to sweep the school premises. While doing her job, she would stand outside the classrooms and learn along with the students. She would also ask the students for their books and read them. One day, she asked me to admit her as a student into the school. Then after, she not only swept the students’ rooms, but also started studying with them.

I feel our foundation helps in eradicating poverty by doing what it does. Seeing our once, unable to understand anything children, evolve into learned people of the society, makes me proud. In this pandemic, I miss all of them so much. From seeing them every single day to not even being able to talk to some of them (due to non-availability of phones), makes me a bit gloomy.” – Chakradhar Pradhan.

 

A Mother's Sacrifice, a widow's memories! -Debaki Mala

“I was a naughty kid- who was encouraged to go to school but I bunked classes with friends to steal mangoes and play kit-kit later. I grew up in a poor family, amid financial and emotional crisis. I was married at 17. Within 11 years, my husband passed away in a tragic accident, right when we were expecting our fourth baby. I had hit my worst.

I had no means of earning, couldn’t educate my kids and spent sleepless nights for months- how to raise 4 little kids, how to survive all on my own- there seemed no way. There were days when I had to go without a meal a day even, just so my kids could eat half a bread. (A bad habit I developed then which, in fact, saved me was having paan. I can stay without rice but not without paan for days.) The pit was so shallow- I would run to the village’s main river and often think of jumping off the barrage; the thought of my children was the only thing that prevented me from ending my life in those dark days. I’m almost 70 today and I can still say the happiest part about my life had only been the 12 years of my marriage. 

However, I am so proud of myself that I’m alive today, my children are settled somehow and I would just say this to every reader- ‘Whenever you think your circumstances are impossible, they're not. Take my word- YOU WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THIS ONLY WHEN YOU’RE WILLING TO STAY TOUGH. Do not believe otherwise.’ “- Debaki Mala

Watercolor Master! - Raghunath Sahoo

"Today, I am called “Watercolor Master” by the public. After completing my school, I joined Art and Craft College, BBSR and thus, began the journey of the artist within me. Art has been my passion since the very beginning. My interest kept growing as I indulged myself in it more and more. My Maa played a major role in making me an artist. She always encouraged me, even when I knew only little about art. 

In college, I got a fair idea of what art truly is. Then after, I started freelancing. I didn’t take up a job because I knew that doing so would ruin my career as an artist. Even now, just to hold on to art, I work as a freelancer in BBSR. 

I, indeed, have a put a lot of efforts in achieving perfection in my art by using water colors. The biggest challenge in using this medium is that you cannot rectify anything, even when your painting goes wrong. You have to work with what you have. 

I only work on subjects which make me happy. I also have received many awards, but it doesn’t hold much importance in my life. My audience likes what I do and that’s enough for me. Now, if I ask you who won the Nobel Prize last year, you may not know this, though it is the most prestigious award in the world. Thus, awards may give you temporary happiness, but when people uphold you in their hearts, that’s going to keep you smiling lifelong. 

I used to run an art institute, but I eventually stopped because, when the child goes to 9th or 10th standard, parents give greater importance to the school education and stop the child from continuing art. All the years of efforts put by the child and I ultimately goes in vain. Even if the child is eager, parents decide for him and put an end to his art learning. 

To my young artists, I would like to say that keep working hard. Choose a medium for your art and work on it with resilience. For me, it was water colors and now, I am called “Watercolor Master”. Everything will fall into place, just keep pursuing!" – Raghunath Sahoo.

Superdadi at 96! -Parbati Pattnaik

 

“My family did not have a girl child for 3 generations, until they were blessed with me. Now it seems like those 3 generations’ lifetime has been bestowed upon me- of which I don’t know what to do anymore. My superpower at 96 today is, I can still read the Bhagavad Gita naked eyed and walk without a stick. I’m the oldest in this village and have already witnessed generations! 

As a child, my father never let me ‘sit without the feathers’. I was his favourite child among all my 5 siblings. I went to school when I was ten for 4 years of education, in those days. Bapa used to wait outside my school so he could carry me home on his firm shoulders.

I was married off at 19 and have had a happy life with my beloved. He’s gone what seems like a long time, and I cannot wait to meet him on the other side of this world.” -Parbati Pattnaik

Feeding cattle to Football! -Tanuja Bage

 “I studied till matric in Jharsuguda and had always been a sports enthusiast during school, always the first at participating in Running and other events. Soon, I developed a keen interest in Football, started working on my skills and made it to the district level. I met the football team, loved the aura and kept persistent with my practices. I gradually made it to National level in Football and Rugby, with my hard work. I have also been on Trekking in my younger years. 

Sporting and athletics had become so important for me that I never backed out from any opportunity that knocked on my doors, no matter what. I’ve played national level football in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Manipur and other states; Rugby in Agra and Trekked from Konark to Gopalpur. I’ve been to many places outside my state and it’s been a pleasurable experience.

When I first got posted as a Home Guard, I used to sneak out many times, since I wasn’t permitted to continue sports. I soon lost my job as well as my training team then- the way I had my feet in 2 boats. I came back to my village and accepted this life. 

I had no hopes to any scope left for my sport career now that it had been years since I’m in my village, with my family of three, earning out of cattle and livestock, labor and wage work. This opportunity of Sir and his team (Prasant Ku Pradhan, Biswajit Pradhan, Pratyush Panda, Narendra Mohapatra, Ajit Panigrahi) tracking me down and offering me to be a trainer to coach future enthusiasts in my field feels like a Godsent divulging boon. Now I can better drill myself as well as ten other dreamers. 

I’ve already received 10 kits to practice and train the tribal kids here and start off as what seems like approaching my one dream job. I shall be preparing for my examinations soon to become the first Woman coach of the National football team. I feel very blessed and I’ll keep delivering my skills to my future students and I envision to make them the finest players to the best of my knacks. 

Oh, and here’s my little girl who loves to play too and I’ll proudly guide her to become a second Tanuja!” -Tanuja Bage