“Live freely and grab whatever good chances you are getting to lead a happy and contented life.”
Dipmala Chande
Born in the city of Kandla in the district of Kutch, Dipmala is living her life fulfilling all her dreams slowly and steadily with the utmost support from her parents.
Her Initial Days
Born on 28th June 1986 in Kandla city in the district of Kutch, Dipmala spent her entire life in Rajkot, Gujarat. Her family consists of her father, who has retired 3 years back from the Accountant General Office as a Welfare Officer, her mother is a doting homemaker, and she has a younger sister who after completing her MSC got married and is a lovely housewife now. After completing class 12, Dipmala has pursued her Bachelor’s Degree in Hindi Literature, followed by a Master’s Degree and MPhil from R.R. Patel Mahila Arts and Commerce College.
Right now, she is pursuing her Ph.D. from Saurashtra University, Rajkot on Harpal Singh Arush, who is a famous writer from UP. Her topic for PhD is “ Deception of the Indian society in the ” Arush” story of harpal Singh.” It is a fact expressed by her, that she has failed her class 10 final examination, and her entire family thought that she will never be able to study further. But, her determination was so strong that she took an oath of getting good marks not only in her Board exams, but will continue with higher studies and will be independent.
She fulfilled her dreams, and bang on she is pursuing her PhD now. She even received a National Fellowship in MPhil.
When Dipmala was only 10 days old, she was detected with a tumor on her spine. She got operated on, but because of the doctors’ fault, she had a bad operation which made her right side disabled. Her spine is curved in the right, but not straight like it should be, due to which she has a very short height, and can’t walk much at a stretch. Her condition is known as Orthopedic Handicap, and she is 45% disabled now.
Her journey for the Beauty Contest
Few of her friends have participated in some or other beauty contests sometimes, and they always used to encourage her to do the same. She have had wish of to be part of any beauty contest . In the year, 2015 through few of her friends she got to know about the beauty contest ‘Miss Wheelchair India’, where all the differently-abled people can participate. She sent her pictures through the mail and was selected for the screening session.
The screening session interview was done over the phone and she cleared that with élan. She was among the top 7 finalists and went to Mumbai for the grand finale. Though she has been to Mumbai before, this time it was a very different feeling. She was excited and nervous. When she reached Mumbai and the venue, she was awestruck by the whole arrangement. The judges of the event were very cordial and they belonged from the Hindi television industry and few singers.
During the finale she was asked a very simple question “How do you take your life’s decision- by listening to your heart or by giving priority to your brain and why?” Everyone was impressed by her answers when she said that she likes to go with her heart always because she is sensitive and very emotional. People who take decisions by heart are not shrewd and are emotionally at peace. She also participated in the National Fashion Week for the disabled people in Gujrat and had a special entry at the Jamnagar fashion Week.
Her love for Chess
Her father is an amazing chess player, and she has noticed him playing chess since her childhood which made her extremely passionate about the game. She has participated in National Chess Competition in the years 2000 and 2001. She has even participated in International Chess Rating Tournament twice.
She is now a very successful chess coach and has many students who are very dear to her. Her students are very fond of her and vice versa, as she mingles with them just like friends, but she is also strict when it is required. In the future, she has a dream of opening her own Chess Academy.
Painting is her stress buster
Dipmala’s father is a District level painting competition winner, which had gathered her interests in painting as well. Her father was her painting teacher. She started painting in 1998 and then became a member of Bal Bhavan. She has participated in many National and International painting competitions. She participated in National Drawing Competition from Rajkot, which took place in Delhi, and there she came as a runner-up. Her paintings got selected at three International levels.
She got an appreciation letter from the Government of Switzerland for her painting when she submitted her drawing with the theme of ‘Tsunami’ and it was modern art. She got very happy after receiving the news that her painting has been kept at Switzerland Art Gallery. Her other painting which was of the theme ‘Wetland’ was selected by the Netherland Government. She painted an amazing modern art concept of ‘Water- Wildlife and Pollution’ and that was selected by the France Government. She is interested and a pro in modern art.
She has no interest in portrait painting, and she laughed out loud while saying ‘If I draw a portrait, then inevitably I make two horrible sizes of two eyes.” Many people have told her to start coaching on painting and also to start selling her artworks. But, she has not yet decided on that fact, because for her painting is a passion, and she has never thought of it to be a profession. Maybe after completing her PhD, she will give it a thought.
She has a knack for handicrafts, which she got from her mother. In the year 2002-to 2003, she sent her paintings, glass paintings, and handicrafts for Bal Shree Award, where her handicrafts were selected.
Her struggle and her support
Being a differently-abled person, her struggle is to walk. Though she does not need a support of a stick to walk, she gets tired very easily if she walks much at a stretch. This makes her a bit mentally down, and then she thinks if she could have walked properly, then she would have conquered the world. She loves to travel a lot, and her entire family loves to go on vacation.
She has visited almost every state in India, and her friends tease her by saying “Don’t tell us which places you have visited, tell us which places you have not. That will be easier and short.” She is very lucky that she has an amazing group of friends who are very supportive. Her friends are always with her, and stand beside her whenever she needs them. They give her very positive energy and that boosts her up always. Her parents have been a great support to her. She would have been zero today without their support.
Her motto in life
Dipmala always believes that problems are for a short duration in life. Whenever she faces any problems, wonderful positive energy comes within her that helps her to solve all the problems. She faces her problems with a smiling face, as she believes problems go away if you have a smiling face. Being positive in every way is her greatest motto in life.
Her tips to the readers
While parting, she wanted to share a small tip for everyone, especially the parents. Every parent should support and stand beside their children. Never feel embarrassed to take your children to any place. You should never cage them. She believes that freedom is very important, even for a child.
