Dipon was a kid with a flair for music. He picked up songs from his father. He also enjoyed different genres of music on television and music player. He tried singing and was encouraged by his family. Especially his brother would encourage him to sing.
The singing continued in front of family and some relatives now and then. He wanted to take formal training for singing, but never did. He began to grow on confidence on his singing prowess with every performance.
However, being an introvert, he did not participate in any school competitions. But the chance came during grade 6 for singing Christmas carol. He reluctantly submitted his name on a friend’s request. And that is where it happened. The teacher did not like it and said, ‘No’. She laughed and ridiculed him in front of others. And he could not take it. He cried in the class. To make things worse when others kids informed the teacher about his crying, she said to let him.
This broke his confidence. He did not sing anymore. For years, he did not sing again in front of others. It was only during a bullying period in college, he was forced by a college senior to sing in front of the class. That really changed everything. Although, he sang horrible, as his friends later told him, this experience opened him up. Looking back at that one moment of ridicule can be quite small for someone, but one small act of senselessness is all that can set us right or wrong.
Today, he still does not sing at a moment’s go but does from time and time again.
Dipon Deb is a Teach For India fellow and teaches in a minority school in Ahmedabad. You can find more about him here, and here.
Defying Shadows 