Shobhit Kaushal, a young man of 19 from Kanpur had his exhibition of paintings and poetry in Mumbai a couple of days back. Jaya was asked by a common friend that was organizing this exhibition, to come over and inaugurate it. She did and was asked for a special request from the young artist. He wanted to meet her husband, Amitabh Bachchan, before he left. He was told I was out of the country. He said he would wait for me to return. His parents and family that were with him tried to persuade him that it would not be possible to stay back. He insisted, assured them that all would be well and prevailed.

This morning at 9 am Shobhit walked in at Prateeksha with his younger sister, brother of 4 and his parents. He was happy that I could find time to see him. His little brother of 4 was fascinated by ‘laddu gopal’ - an idol of Krishna holding a ‘laddu’ in his hand that sat as a decoration on the couch at the far end of the hall. Shobhit then presented to me a set of his paintings that he had done and a collection of the poems he had written. They are posted above for reference.

He is self taught and untrained. He had started at an early age of perhaps 4 or 5. The gentleman that had brought him out to Mumbai had heard him recite some of his work at a function.

After a while, ‘laddu’ wanted to drink some juice and have biscuits. Shobhit asked for some ice his mouth was getting dry. It was getting late for their departure. They wondered if they could take photographs. They did. Then they all left.

For someone to have taken up this level of painting and writing was astonishing for me. His thought process and mind was incredibly mature and sensitive. He spoke in very normal measured tones; not at all overawed by the attention that he was generating ; just a perfectly normal calm and collected individual from mid- city Kanpur.

Calm and collected even with the multiple tubes that were fixed to his system and body. Calm and collected even though his condition was causing him to limp his way around. Calm and collected even with a Ryles tube inserted in his nose.

Shobhit is terminally ill with cancer. His survival is very limited. He was here for treatment and has been having it for years. The doctors have done their best and have now asked him to go home. He took extensive morphine injections to be able to do that, with a slight deviation en route, to Prateeksha.

His paintings and his words say it all. I have nothing more to say. It would be impertinent for me to even express what feelings go through me now..

Amitabh Bachchan