Meet Pranav Bakhshi, a 19-year-old Indian male all set to change the fashion game.
Pranav, who suffers from autism and echolalia, wants to walk the ramp for international brands and establish himself as a leading model.
(Echolalia, a psychiatric disorder, is characterised as the unsolicited repetition of sounds made by another person.)
With his head high and heart inclined to beat all the odds against him, his story is nothing short of an inspiration.
He has already taken a step in the direction by signing with a Delhi-based modelling agency- Ninjas Model Management.
Pranav and his mother, Anupama Bakhshi, sent emails to multiple other agencies. However, none of them showed interest. Ninjas Model Management, inclined to promote inclusivity in fashion, recognised Pranav’s talent.
Pranav has 40% disability and acute anxiety. He was 2, when his mother got to know of his condition. But she made sure to give him space to do what he wishes to do in life.
She recalls they were in a mall when Pranav came up to her pointing at a billboard. He said he wanted to be a model. And she was nothing but supportive of his decision.
He also has a knack for photography and is a fitness enthusiast. His Insta bio reads, ‘Autism is my superpower’. The idea is to channel his ‘weakness’ into something that will shatter the preconceived notions around disability.
Pranav wants to create a precedent for autistic kids, so that they can be inspired and believe in themselves.
H/T – Hindustan Times.