13092024-LSTC-01.qxd 12-09-2024 23:46 Page 1 c m y b ZENDAYA ON OTT NOW Tennis romance drama Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino and featuring Zendaya, will be available on Prime Video starting September 19. Challengers revolves around Tashi Duncan, portrayed by Zendaya, a former tennis prodigy who has transitioned into a formidable coach. TRIBUNE On record Taylor Swift finished the MTV Video Music Awards with a record-breaking number of wins, 30, surpassing the previous record of 25 wins set by Beyonce (as a solo act). CHANDIGARH | FRIDAY | 13 SEPTEMBER 2024 Rhythm in movement Music lovers of City Beautiful were treated to a scintillating dance performance by promising Kathak danseuse, Sree Bandyopadhyay, during the 299th Monthly Baithak Programme, organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra at the ML Koser Indoor Auditorium Armedwith passion Anandita Gupta Growing up in a small village (Loidhar in Kishtwar district) of Jammu and Kashmir, the only thing this little girl wanted was to wear lots of colourful bangles. She dreamed of furling her hands in the air, to see her beautiful bangles jingling. However, little did Sheetal Devi know that she’d never hear the precious clink of her own bangles! From tragedy to triumph The 17-year-old from Jammu district was born with a rare congenital medical condition called Phocomelia. Due to it, Devi has no arms. And, unfortunately, country’s top medics said prosthetics were not possible in her case. Sheetal was heartbroken, but her will to live a normal life made her adapt. With the loving support of her family, she learnt to use her feet to perform everyday tasks. Eventually, with a lot of grit and perseverance, she learned to write, eat, climb trees and perform household chores using her feet. Sheetal even discovered the love of her life soon! How it all began It was at a youth event (local sports camp) held by the Indian Army in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, in 2021, that Sheetal’s innate athleticism and confidence were discovered by Army coaches. Her introduction to archery came in 2022 when she visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board sports complex in Katra, around 200 kilometers from her home. It was there that she met her coaches, including Kuldeep Vedwan, who were impressed with her grit. They soon started training her in professional archery. “I already had been using my legs and feet to climb trees. Now, I began practicing with a bow and arrow, using my feet to shoot,” remembers an innocent Devi, who loves watching television serials. Challenges galore Yet, Sheetal’s decision to try a career in archery did not come without its doubts. “I felt this was impossible. My legs used to ache a lot, but, somehow, I did it. In Another feather in his hat Actor-comedian Vir Das has been announced as the host for the 52nd edition of the International Emmy Awards, making him the first Indian to emcee the event. The ceremony will be held in New York City on November 25. It marks Das’ return to the International Emmy stage after he won the best comedy award for his Netflix stand-up special Vir Das: Landing in 2023. The Vir Das becomes first event and actor-comediam incrediIndian to host an, also bly honknown for International Emmy oured to play films such as awards ceremony a central role Go Goa Gone in it.” and Delhi Belly, said, Organised by the New “Returning to the Interna- York–based International tional Emmy Awards, this Academy of Television Arts time as the host, is a deeply and Sciences (IATAS), the personal and exhilarating International Emmys are moment for me. The presented in recognition of Emmys have always been a the best television probeacon of excellence and a grammes produced outside celebration of diverse sto- the US. At the 2023 Internaries from around the world. tional Emmys, Das had Having won an Emmy last shared the trophy with popyear for Landing, I feel a ular British teen sitcom profound connection to this Derry Girls Season 3. — PTI Kathak danseuse Sree Bandyopadhyay delights dance lovers in City Beautiful India’s Paralympics 2024 bronze medallist Sheetal Devi, who left social media swooning over her grace, says life is all about wanting something enough and working hard till you achieve it my low moments, I took inspiration from American archer Matt Stutzman, who famously shoots with his feet using a customised device,” she recalls. Devi’s family could not afford a similar machine, so her coach Kuldeep Vedwan took it upon himself to create a bow for her. He used locally sourced material and customised it as per her needs. The gear included an upperbody strap made from material used in bag belts and a small instrument, which Devi held in her mouth to help release the arrow. The challenge was monumental, but the vision — to make the most of the strength in Devi’s legs and upper body — eventually prevailed. “Initially, I could not even lift the bow properly. But, after practising for a couple of months, it became easier,” smiles the resilient archer. Bull’s eye After 11 months of training, 16-year-old Sheetal became India’s first female archer without arms to compete internationally. In 2023, she participated in Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, and won two gold and one silver medals for India! Celebrated as a pioneering athlete and a symbol of hope for people with disabilities, Sheetal was awarded the Best Youth Athlete of the Year by Asian Paralympic Committee. She was later bestowed the prestigious Arjuna Award by the Indian Government in 2023. World Archery also named Sheetal Devi the Best Women’s Para Archer of the Year for 2023. Poetry in motion The ace archer left social media swooning with her grace at the just-concluded Paralympics in Paris. She went on to clinch a bronze medal. French footballer Jules Konde and football broadcaster Piers Morgan were awestruck, as they shared the video of our archer in action on their X handles. So, what makes her truly unstoppable at this tender age? “Whenever I see the medals that I have won till now, I feel inspired to win more. I have just started,” she beams. Devi is currently ranked first in the world in the compound open women’s category. “I believe that no one has any limitations, it’s just about wanting something enough and working as hard as you can,” says the odds-defying archer, adding, “If I can do it, anyone can.” on Wednesday. Sree Bandyopadhyay started training under the guidance of Guru Sandip Mallick in Kolkata and later completed her post-graduate diploma from the Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, under the guidance of Pt Jai Kishan Maharaj. Meanwhile, her fine footwork and knowledge of the rhythm impressed the audience. A fine team of accompanists, Ustad Shakeel Ahmed Khan (tabla), Lavnya Ambade (sitar), Atul Devesh (vocal) and Jaya Bhatt (padant), made the performance stand out. — TNS PHOTOS: VICKY At the pottery exhibition Smoke & Clay, held at the Alliance Française, artists Salam and Partinder Pal Singh talk about their love for mitti Making clay talk Sheetal C.Studios, a collaborative art space to explore oneself through creative expression, organised a pottery exhibition titled, Smoke & Clay, at the Alliance Française, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. The event was attended by many pottery lovers of tricity, and almost half of the exhibits were booked, to be bought later, by the visitors by 8 pm! Artists Salam and Partinder Pal Singh are behind the exhibit, which showcases low and high temperature stoneware and earthenware pottery works. They joined the community of artists at C.Studios in 202122. For Partinder, it came easy, being a PARTINDER AND SALAM farmer who has always been close to mitti (clay). He explains, “I was always interested in doing something with mitti (clay) and channel that inner child, who enjoys playing with it. I was introduced to it through a friend who runs C. Studios but now I do not know whether I can live without working on a wheel and kiln.” Salam, on the other hand, was born into a family of potters. He is also a mechanical engineer who worked for more than seven years in Panchkula. He says, “My grandfather and father were potters. I never liked doing this work while growing up because we dealt with mass production of pottery items. But after coming c m y b to this collaborative community of artists, I am able to understand the artistic side of this job. I never knew the glazing technique, but with time I have come to perfect it. The exhibition that we have presented is our works from the past two years, but the glaze pieces with hints of smoke are much recent, from roughly six months ago.” Partinder shares how the raw material for pottery isn’t an issue, but to work for long hours, especially in humid temperature, is tough. Together, they explore raw tactile relationship of clay and the firing process. Using simple transparent glazes, they play with the kiln environment, the temperature and smoke, to produce unexpected visual effects and colouration. (On till September 14)