VOSAP is delighted to bring you the story of Mr. Chetan Phaliskar, an artist who does not let his disability define him. Chetan is the first prize winner (Specially Abled) of our contest “Art form Heart 2020”.
Chetan Phaliskar, who was born deaf and mute, is an artist who has travelled across the country showcasing his artworks. He has bagged more than 105 awards including 30 trophies and 36 medals including 10 gold medals. He has at least 115 certificates from contests held all over India. It is worth noting that his fame is not bound with the geographic boundary of the country. He will also be representing India in the International Abilympic to be held in Moscow, Russia in 2022.
Chetan might be deaf and mute but this does not stop him from understanding the chaos of the world. Most of his paintings carry a social message to make the world a better place to live. He might not use his voice but his art speaks for him. He delivers his
messages clear and loud through his paintings.
Though Chetan uses many mediums to express himself through art, he is most comfortable using the traditional paintbrush with acrylic, oil, and watercolors. He has made more than 150 incredible pieces of art of which 100 have been sold. Moreover, he has gifted and donated around 80 paintings and some of which have been given for very noble causes. During the National Abilympic 2018, Chetan donated some of his incredible artworks to the NSG Commandoes of the Indian Army.
His inclination towards the Indian Army can be traced back to his ‘Pashilkar’ roots. Chetan proudly affirms that he is a descendant of Baji Pasalkar, the first and main commander-in-chief in the Maratha regime during Shivaji’s time. Later, the Pasalkar clan came to be known as Pashilkar. Chetan’s ancestral home in the Raigarh district in Maharashtra, where his parents live to date, is an affirmation of the fact. It is a fort built on a hillock that is more than 5-storeys above street level. Chetan was born and brought up in this fort that stands proudly as a token of the bravery of his ancestors.
In the family of five, Chetan was the only person who was deaf and mute. He even had to attend normal school with all hearing and speaking children and teachers. Till class-10 th he did not receive any special education. Though Chetan was lucky enough to get a teacher who recognized his talent and did all she could to promote his artistic talent. It was her persuasion that Chetan pursued Bachelor’s as well as a Master’s degree in arts. He was the only deaf and mute person among 29 first-class graduates of Masters in Fine Arts from the prestigious Sir. J. J. School of Arts, Mumbai.
Chetan is a true artist who keeps on learning and improving his skills. He was mesmerized by the works of other artists displayed in VOSAP’s art gallery. He said there was so much to learn from other artists. He believes that he can better his skills by appreciating other artists. He also appreciated the work of VOSAP for providing a platform to Specially Abled artists and for spreading the message that disabilities do not limit the abilities of a person. Talking about challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities, Chetan says that people with challenges are quite independent and can beautifully deal with all the challenges life throws at them.
Now if we talk about Chetan’s personal life, he is happily married to Arati. Like a pair made in heaven, both of them are artists who complement each other. And yes, Arati is deaf and mute too. Having a diploma in animation, she works for an advertising agency based in Mumbai. She does illustrations and makes animated videos. Unlike her husband, art is completely digital for Arati. The couple lives independently in the Thane district of Maharashtra. In certain situations, they get help from Arati’s father who lives nearby. The couple is especially happy about a new skill acquired by Chetan – driving a two-wheeler. Obviously, it is a challenge for a deaf person like Chetan but as he says “persons with challenges can beautifully deal with the challenges”. He uses the rear-view mirror to gauge the traffic.
While interacting with Chetan through emails and zoom calls, our team got to know that he is a happy-go-lucky person. While Chetan was actively communicating with us, his father-in-law also helped us to understand him better. He informed us about Chetan’s background and his amazing behavior. He told us that Chetan carries a very good sense of humor and has a very positive outlook towards life. Everything and everyone is good according to Chetan. He is a true inspiration who embodies ‘the ability of the mind and the will’.
VOSAP wishes all the good luck to Chetan and his wife Arati. We shall keep on providing a platform to such talents and bring out inspiring stories for all.
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