New Delhi: The stage is set. The guests are waiting for the performance of the day. Dressed in a black shimmer outfit, Kamlesh Patel gets on the stage. He puts his legs over his shoulders and starts dancing to the beats of his heart. His body flows like water, from one step to another. Applause grows louder as Kamlesh walks, jumps, spins, and does a split, all on his two hands.

“Challenges are meant to change your life,” he says.

Born in Padra in the Vadodara district of Gujarat, Kamlesh has been dancing on his hands for nearly two decades.

What’s so different about his dancing?

Kamlesh was five when he developed a fever. The doctor prescribed an injection which may have been administered incorrectly. It led to nerve blockage which rendered him paralyzed below the waist.

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It is during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations Kamlesh wishes the most he had legs. He could then join the crowd dancing.

“Being a dancer was a far-fetched dream. Until one day, while praying to Lord Ganesha, I randomly put my legs over my shoulders and started dancing,” recalls Kamlesh.

Then he started going to dance classes, 15km away from his house. He would travel the distance on his special bicycle.

“The trainer wouldn’t attend to me because of my disability. I would sit in the corner, follow steps, and practice them at home,” he says.

Subsequently, Kamlesh began participating in reality shows. He rose to fame when he auditioned for Dance India Dance in 2009. He went in a participant and came out a judge.

“Fellow participants mocked me. But, to succeed in life, one needs to have control over their mind. Emotional and mental stability can overpower any physical disability.”

He, along with his wife, runs ‘Mahadev Dance Studio’ for people with disabilities. The aim is to inspire and support people with disabilities through stage shows.

“God took away my legs but he gave me confidence. Dance has helped me put my disability in front of the world,” he says.

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