He started learning classical dance when he was only 7. Now at 22, Lingaraju, the only male artiste in Samarthanam's Sunadha dance troupe, is an accomplished dancer.

He has performed in Australia, Italy and the US and at prestigious events like the Hampi and Anegundi festivals in India.

That may sound ordinary, but there is something special about him. He has achieved it in spite of having a partial visual impairment.

For more than a year, he has been working at Samarthanam, doing field work and pursuing his passion for dance. In December 2010, he picked up the first prize for his performance at the National Competition for the Visually Impaired.
 
"Not everyone gets an opportunity to perform around the world," he says. "I wanted to study to be a mechanic but I was turned away because of my disability, but now I'm focused on my dancing and want to do it well."