“I was one of the top twelve finalists in the Doodle for Google 2016 contest. Though I did not win the competition, things changed after I became a finalist. I sat on an airplane for the first time, stayed in a five-star hotel and participated in the competition held in Delhi. Everything was new to me. When I returned, I encountered a completely different world. Today, many people in my vicinity teach their children to be like me. They tell their children to be painters, dancers or whatever they want to be. Inspiring even a small number of people and making them believe that there is life beyond becoming an engineer or doctor feels really good.

My mother believed that you can’t make a career out of art. I am just an ordinary girl from a lower-middle-class family in which things become difficult once you start dreaming of flying high. I have been painting since I was two or maybe three years old. Painting and sketching gratify me. This form of art takes me to another realm where I can paint my mind onto a piece of paper. I love to play with colors, moods and expressions. When people ask me how I create such beautiful art, I tell them that it comes from within. Don’t go by my age, I might seem young but I have big dreams. I want to touch the sky.

Ever since I became a part of this acclaimed competition, my mother, who was against painting, supports me in my artistic endeavours. It took time but I have made her believe in me. Once I told my father that one day I would make him proud and I am sure that I have done it to some extent"