Mumbai: Amaira Jagtiani was born with Cerebral Palsy. At age 12 and 7 major surgeries later she is taking keen interest in Hindu mythology and other spiritual interpretations. "Following the path of spiritualism gives her the sense of strength to face her life of hardships." Said her father Sharan.
Sharan Jagtiani also added, “This outlook of Amaira is organic and that they as a family support things she shows interest in. However, she truly enjoys reading and listening about these.”
In 2018, post a major hip surgery, Amaira was in a full-body cast and bedridden for 8 weeks. During this time, her grandmother and paternal aunt started to read her storybooks and epics to keep her engaged. Among many others, Ramayana went on to be her favourite read and thus began her wonderment towards Hindu mythology. Amaira began demanding to read and know more.
Amaira, with Cerebral Palsy has been attending regular school as and when her health permitted. She enjoys going to school and is mobile both with crutches and on a wheelchair.
Amaira Jagtiani with her family. | Special Arrangement
Her school typically follows a ‘modified curriculum’ that caters to her special needs and other children like her.
Amaira’s syllabus of modified curriculum is an educational strategy that allows special needs students to have better access to information and resources. It treads on the special child’s areas of strength, it is less technical, and is based on units of inquiry. All instructions are given one on one by a shadow teacher.
Sharan was happy to mention, “Amaira is at par with the rest of the children in class for most subjects if not all.”
Her keen interest in Indian mythology propelled her to present talks at school projects on Sangam of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda- Devprayag while most children spoke on science and technology.
Sharan said “This is atypical of a child her age but certainly is organic. Her inclination towards spiritualism gives her a strange sense of strength to set goals and achieve them with utmost vigour. We however as a family are moderately spiritual.”
Her aunt, Anushka Jagtiani went for a Yoga retreat to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand in 2022, run by an American-born Sadhvi and spiritual leader. Amaira’s inquisitiveness led her to want to celebrate her next birthday in Rishikesh and meet this Sadhvi.
On her visit, Amaira asked the spiritual leader “Why does God test man?” To which, Sadhvi replied “When you take exams in school, you learn something. Similarly, God tests man for him to learn.”
"Amaira came back convinced and with a new perspective to endure her special life" mother Ami concluded.
