#InvisibleDisabilities- Budding deaf photographer Saud wants to share his experiences through art

In our monthly campaign #InvisibleDisabilities campaign, our final feature is on Saud Dilnawaz Ainarkar who lives in Ratnagiri. Saud who started having hearing problems by age of four is now completely deaf. A budding photographer, Saud is gearing up for a long and interesting journey for life.

“I want to travel, explore new things and do whatever my hearts asks me to do”, says 20-year-old Saud Dilnawaz Ainarkar. Saud who is deaf, recently completed his SSC exams and is looking to study further. A budding photographer who is passionate about art, Saud is not letting his disability stop him from aiming for the stars and that is just what he has been doing. His strongest pillars of support, family and friends, never lets him down.

Never giving up

Saud’s family lives in Mumbai. His brother Suhail Dilnawaz Ainarkar says that they moved to their hometown in Ratnagiri after the Coronavirus pandemic. “As a child, Suhail used to respond to noises. Then by the age of four, it stopped completely. Initially, doctors were unable to find the reason. An expert from USA who visited a Mumbai hospital where we took him diagnosed the real problem. So the hearing nerve was damaged. If a surgery was done, there were chances of it getting fine. But there were also chances of him being paralyzed. So we decided not to take a chance and did not go for the surgery”, says Suhail.

Saud completed his studies in a special school. During pandemic, he completed his SSC. “I want to study further and is very clear about that”, says Saud who is gearing up for class 11 admissions. “We do not want him to hurry into anything. So we are taking it slow”, adds Suhail.

Saud who already know the Indian Sign Language is now studying the International Sign Language as well. Someone who loves to travel, explore and learn new things, Saud is truly unstoppable.

“As a family, we are supportive of anything that Saud wants to do. We have put across some conditions. Like he has to inform us where he is going, share his friend’s numbers and be safe”, says Suhail who beams with pride when he talks about his younger brother.

Tryst with photography

Saud’s keenness for photography started a few years back. He used to click photos on phones. So Suhail and the family decided to get him a DSLR camera. Saud couldn’t hold back his excitement. He started clicking to his heart’s fill.

“We got him a good phone two years back. So now all his clicks and videos are in it. He loves editing too”, says Suhail.

Saud has signed up for an online mobile digital photography course that happens every weekend. By laying a basic foundation, Saud hopes that he can start getting to know photography better. “I want to study photography. I want to know more about it’s techniques too”, says Saud who has worked with Café Coffee Day. “Working at a place has boosted his confidence and self-esteem. He wants to move out of his comfort zone”, says Suhail.

Talking about what makes him a positive person, Saud says, “I believe in not limiting myself to anything. There is nothing you cannot achieve. I want to click pictures wherever I go so that I can share experiences of my travel”.

Watch in Sign Language

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• #InvisibleDisabilities- Photographer & graphic designer Aravind Suraj juggles roles with ease