Against all odds
Pratima Naithani could easily have been a jazz pianist but her destiny was to be an artist, one who is inspired by Indian history, music and films, writes Mathures Paul Children dream of becoming artists, musicians, scientist or engineers. Pratima Naithani’s options were limited due to a problem ~ which went undiagnosed until she was 13 ~ with her eyesight. Nevertheless, she was equally adept in expressing herself through music. A passion for the piano led her to play by ear without learning to read music, a skill she developed quickly to become a classical and jazz pianist. A twist of fate made her, still a student at boarding school, discover the world of art. Shaping the young mind was the rich cultural heritage of her parents. Her mother is from El Salvador and her father from India, Naithani grew up in the suburban town of Princeton, New Jersey. Since her mother’s country was at war for most of her childhood, preventing frequent visits, she developed a deeper relationship with her...