Akshika Aggarwal weaves colorful dreams through stories & poems

Akshika Aggarwal, a writer and poet, has dreams of publishing a set of audio books of original stories and poems. Based in New Delhi, 31-year-old Akshika has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. This young woman has many ambitious plans and is determined not to let disability stop her from dreaming big

Thirty-one-year-old Akshika Aggarwal’s love for writing began quite early. Working as a content writer helped her hone her skills and Akshika decided to pursue her interest in full earnest. Akshika, who has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user, did her schooling with the support of an NGO, which works towards inclusion of disabled kids in mainstream schools.

I later did my B.A and M.A degrees in English literature from the Delhi University. I loved the subject and enjoyed studying it in depth. That was when I started I started writing seriously”, says Akshika.

Tryst with writing

After college, Akshika’s works were published in leading newspapers including the Hindustan Times. This boosted her confidence and she took up a job as a content writer with a few companies.

I started writing when I was in class 12. My first poem was appreciated and loved by many people. That gave me the confidence to write regularly and I started exploring with my writing skills. I am able to express myself better through writing. I write my piece to express my emotions, whether happiness or sadness. – Akshika Aggarwal, Budding poet & writer

Akshika is working on a series of audio books of her compositions. She hopes to publish them soon. “I have a lot of support from my parents. I know that my siblings love me, but they are not good at expressing it to me”.

She also has a film to her credit. A short, five-minute film called Safar which was done as part of a competition for an NGO. She won the third place for it.

Future plans

With her disability, Akshika finds the task of writing physically difficult at times but she is determined not to give up. Attitudes towards disabled people get her down. She experienced discrimination while looking out for a job for instance. “Companies want to hire a person without a disability or someone on crutches”.

All that does not get her down. “I don’t think disabled people must be scared to come out. If you do not come and showcase your talents, no one will appreciate you”, say this tough young woman.

Pulkit Sharma, a wheelchair blogger from Delhi who writes frequently on accessibility, is a great supporter of Akshika’s efforts. “She is very confident and has a positive outlook towards life. All she needs is a a platforms to showcase her skills”, he says.

Watch in Sign Language

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