Radhika JA was only five years old when she experienced her first bone fracture, which required surgery. Following this, she was advised to take bed rest for three months. However, within nine months, she suffered another fracture on the same leg, and then another a year later. By the time she turned 12, she had undergone seven surgeries in total. After completing kindergarten, her formal education was discontinued entirely. Now, at 23, she bravely battles a rare disease while creating handmade dolls that are exported to five countries worldwide.
Finding the Art for the Artist
Residing in Coimbatore, Radhika lived a life prone to bone fractures without any exertion. As a result, she had to drop out of school. "I started living in fear that even if I walk, I may break a bone. I stopped walking. I used to sit all day on my bed. Those were challenging times for me. I did not have friends to communicate with. From my window, I'd watch children playing on the streets, going to schools in the morning and to tuitions in the evening… For me, going to hospitals was the only outing," she shared with a media house.
Without a schedule like other children her age, she developed an inclination towards art. At 14, she began drawing and painting. "I'd watch MAD (a children's TV programme) and feel inspired to replicate those crafts. This made my life a little intriguing," she explained.
Soon, she began upcycling old newspapers to make unique and intricate dolls. From couples to musicians, medical professionals, and even religious idols, she creates caricatures of them all. "This work requires concentration and prolonged sitting. Earlier, I would not be able to sit for two to four hours at a stretch. But I'm able to do so now with small breaks in between. When I am focused on rolling the newspaper and shaping and painting dolls, I forget about my disease," she added.
Battling a Disease
Radhika's entire life has been a battle with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. It is a group of genetic diseases in which bones fracture or break easily, without an obvious cause and with minimal injury. While it ranges from mild to severe, it may affect an individual's mobility, leading them to use a walker or wheelchair. Moreover, there is no cure. When she was a teenager, Radhika thought her life was over. "While going to the operation theatre, she told our father to kill her. She asked him to give her a medicine that took her life at once, so she would not have to go through the pain again and again. It was a very difficult time for us," said her brother Rajmohan.
Each surgery cost the family Rs 35,000, almost a year's worth of the salary of their father, who worked as a supervisor in a textile mill. After the consistent surgeries, she was homeschooled till Class 12. Today, four metal plates are attached to the bones in both her legs with screws, and she walks with the help of a stick.
The Dolls That Travel
When Radhika found interest in avenues like art to keep her busy, her brother showed her a video on YouTube that used old newspapers to make African dolls. She also began using old newspapers, metal wires, and colors to make her dolls. Her neighbor purchased one such doll from her, marking her first sale.
With her pocket money of Rs 200, she bought fresh colors and began transforming her hobby into a business. Once, her brother's friend offered to display her dolls at his stall. "On the first day, I gave him five dolls. The next day, he asked to send five more. Later, he asked me to make 15 more dolls. Within a week, we sold 25 dolls priced at Rs 150. It was a very happy moment for me," she said.
In 2018, she began selling dolls through her Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. "Through social media, I received an order of 25 dolls from a hotel owner in Ooty. He asked me to make 3.5-foot dolls. While I could not travel to Ooty, it was such a happy moment to see the hotel was decorated with my dolls."
Radhika and her brother dedicate their Sundays to photoshoots of the dolls and keep updating their customers on new products. She takes three to four days to make one doll. Within a month, she gets about 30 to 50 orders and earns approximately Rs 15,000. Her customers are not just limited to across the country but span the globe, including the USA, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, and the UAE.
"I cannot travel anywhere to an event without anyone's help. But today, my dolls have traveled to 24 states in the country and six countries across the world. I hope that other girls going through the same phase believe in themselves. Because if I could do it, then they too could," she said.
There was a time she was denied admission to school because of her condition. Today, because of her dolls, she got a chance to meet Chief Minister MK Stalin. Radhika wants to tell society not to look at people like her with pity. "We are not less than anyone," she added.
