A "World Within" Tales and Triumphs
of Growing Up with Autism is a beautiful collection of experiences
penned by Kanha, a wonder boy of our times in his own right. A youngster,
officially diagnosed to be on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Kanha
overcame various odds over the years to achieve one developmental milestone
after the other.
The very word 'Kanha' fascinated me when I first met him. I could see the
spark in him which made me believe that like little Krishna (Kanha being the
childhood name of Lord Krishna) this boy was so charming, all fun and joy, yet so
profound, even intriguing. So do the pages of the current compilation of his
writings remind me of his image, his smile and a confident future. They
chronicle the journey of a neuro-diverse, autistic child from his childhood to
young adulthood. Each and every piece is so authentic and unique, beautifully
expressing the child, the adolescent and the young adult in Kanha. The articles
belie the myth that autistic individuals have little room for emotion, just as
Kanha himself has falsified many myths about autism in general and predictions
about himself, in particular, over the years. I found humour, irony,
imagination and fun element along with great choice of words in Kanha's
writings. What is more, they are all brimming with courage, hope and a can-do attitude.
They are scripting the dance of life, celebrating little incidents and triumphs
on the way. Through this expression Kanha has communicated a very powerful
message out there - that it is possible for an autistic individual to live and
to thrive here.
The World Within as well as Kanha's life are an outcome of a living
belief that autism is not a person's whole self but just an aspect of him.
That's why we say that he is on the autism spectrum and not that his whole self
(is autistic). To take the Lord Krishna metaphor further, autism is one facet
of the Leela of Kanha, not even a dominant facet and definitely not his whole
self. Autism is a speck of his whole persona that is subdued, mitigated and
overcome through special education, therapy, music and spiritual practice by
his parents Mr Sanjay Trehan and Dr Sangeeta Trehan. Hats off to them, for
being the parents of Kanha is both a tapasya and a privilege, I firmly believe.
Thus this book The World Within follows for you the readers to read, enjoy and
cherish!
Dr. Shyama Chona
Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri
President Tamana
Former-Principal, DPS R K Puram