EMELIE VOICES
JANUARY 2 0 2 6, I S S U E 0 7
Meet Rajashri: In the journey of exploring and expressing herself through art
There is a quiet, rhythmic depth to Rajashri Dhaktode. At 21, she views the world through a lens that finds beauty even in the shadows. A final-year student of Visual Arts at SNDT College, Pune. She is a caring granddaughter, a sister, a caregiver, and above all, an artist who has learned to paint her own horizon.
A Childhood Painted in Harsh Colors
Rajashri’s worldview was shaped early by the difficult realities of addiction and instability. Growing up in a home where her father’s heavy alcohol dependency drained both financial and emotional resources, she became a witness to trauma before she even had the words to describe it. While most children were playing, Rajashri and her elder sister were learning the weight of responsibility, working alongside their schooling to help their mother keep the household afloat.
During Rajashri’s 10th standard, the family’s fragile stability began to crumble. Her father’s health succumbed to severe liver failure caused by alcoholism. It was a difficult period; as his health deteriorated, he became unstable and eventually lost his memory. In a painful twist of fate, he could no longer recognise Rajashri, remembering only her elder sister. Losing him in such a state left a deep mark on her heart and was painful to witness. She lost her father during that period.
In the wake of his passing, the structure of her family dissolved further. Over the next two to three years, as they were dealing with the grief, Rajashri observed a growing disinterest in her mother, who began to view her children and their shared responsibilities as a burden.
I have lost the fear of struggle; it is not new to me. Hard work is inevitable in any journey, so I thought, why not choose my own struggle? Why not struggle in art, through art?
One day, without a word of explanation, her mother left the house and disappeared. To this day, the sisters do not know where she is. They haven't sought to reconnect, choosing instead to accept this as another emerging challenge they had to face—moving forward with the strength they had cultivated since childhood.
Their grandmother remained their final pillar of emotional support and presence, but when her health failed, and she became bedridden, the sisters had to make the difficult choice to move her to an ashram in Pune, where she could receive proper care.
Suddenly, the two sisters stood entirely alone. They faced the terrors of an unsafe environment, where men would knock at their door late into the night, pressuring them to open it. Realizing they could no longer stay, they took it upon themselves to find a safer place to live. Today, they manage their own household—paying rent, handling chores, and working to make ends meet, all while Rajashri pursues her dreams. Despite these immense hurdles hitting during her 11th and 12th standards, she successfully enrolled in SNDT College, Pune, to ensure her education continued.
Finding Her Voice through the Canvas
It was during this transition that Rajashri connected with The Emelie Foundation. While we are honoured to support her during her college academic journey, the true joy has been watching her soul expand through her craft.
For Rajashri, art is her language. Through her college years, she began using the canvas to express the subtle growth and the profound lessons of her journey. The absence of parental support became a "presence" of inspiration—a fuel that drives her to create. She has transformed her history from a series of hardships into a gallery of resilience.
Every day, Rajashri balances college, work, travel, responsibilities, and aspirations — all without complaint, but with dignity. She and her sister are each other’s support, their own source of strength and sustenance. Her story is incomplete without the emotional support and presence given by her sister and loving grandmother. We deeply acknowledge their presence in her life. She keeps on visiting her grandmother and deeply loves her.
Her story is not just about survival — it is about meaning, expression, and beauty born from depth.
Looking Ahead: Designing a Life of Expression
Rajashri’s sights are set high. She aspires to pursue her Master's at prestigious institutions like the Faculty of Fine Arts at Maharaja Sayajirao University (Baroda) or Visva-Bharati (Santiniketan), where she can deepen her artistic knowledge and expand her creative world. She envisions a future where she not only showcases her work in individual exhibitions but also pours her knowledge back into others through teaching art and supporting others to express themselves through art.
Today, Rajashri’s commitment to art is unwavering. She has showcased her work on various platforms and even participated in exhibitions — experiences that have strengthened her confidence and vision.
She refuses the comfort of excuses. Instead, she chooses the "struggle" of the artist—the hard work that leads to creation rather than just survival.
She believes, “Blame and excuses are escape. Struggle is not my enemy. I choose the struggle I love and that is Art.”
This glimpse into Rajashri’s world leaves us with gratitude — for her courage, her insight, and the quiet wisdom she carries forward.
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