Opening Doorz

By Olivia Moraes | Opening Doorz Editorial | November 21, 2024

Few people inspire us to view life through a different lens. This is the story of a feisty mother and her determined son, and their journey marked by courage, daily determination, and love.

When her nine-month-old son, Gopinath Damodaran, developed a fever that left him deaf for life, this mother, Malti, refused to give up. Despite the challenges, she stood by him, like a rock, every step of the way.

I first met Gopinath as a nine-year-old, struggling with basic English reading and writing skills. As a special educator, I began tutoring him on Saturday mornings at his mother’s request. Many may not realize that hearing loss from birth often delays language development, leading to learning challenges and reduced academic achievement. For educators, teaching language skills to children with hearing impairments requires innovative methods and endless patience. It was a challenge that tested me and pushed me to reinvent my strategies constantly.

Despite the odds, Gopinath completed his schooling and pursued a career in animation. Today, with over 20 years of experience in visual effects, graphics, and animation, he is an expert Modeling and Texturing Artist. His journey from a struggling student to an accomplished professional has been peppered with difficulties. This is the inspiring story of Gopinath Damodaran.

Excerpts:

What strategies do you use to communicate with your hearing child, given that you and your wife are both deaf?

As deaf parents, we communicate through sign language. Our son, who is five years old, has naturally picked up sign language and communicates with us easily. My wife excels in arts and crafts. She handles his school projects and daily schoolwork. I take on the role of dropping him off at school every day. Weekends are reserved for family outings and quality time together. Our son is the centre of our universe.

Can you describe a typical school day in your childhood?

As a child, I couldn’t understand English—the language, its structure, or its grammar. My creative writing skills were bad, and I struggled to construct sentences correctly. I had trouble copying notes from the blackboard, so my notebooks were always incomplete. My teachers would call my mother to complain, and I’d see tears in her eyes. I couldn’t find the words to explain my difficulties.

Did you find any sources of joy or areas of success during those difficult times?

Yes, I found my place in art, sports, dance, and drama. Breakdancing was my favourite, and Michael Jackson was my hero. I was a naturally gifted dancer and often performed in school. I won medals and prizes in interschool competitions for sports and painting. But academics remained a constant struggle, which gave me many bad days. I often questioned why God brought me into this world.

My mother turned to prayer. She took me to different places of worship, hoping for divine intervention. One day, when I was about 12, I broke down. I told my mother I was tired of everything—wearing a hearing aid, visiting churches and temples—and that I wanted to accept my deafness. That decision brought me a sense of relief and freedom.

It’s intriguing how you performed so well without hearing the music. Can you share how you connected with the rhythm and timing?

I have a hearing loss of over 90 dB, which means I am completely deaf. A hearing aid didn’t help me. But when music was played through large speakers, I could feel the vibrations traveling through the floor. These vibrations allowed me to sense the beat and match my steps accordingly.

Because of my natural talent and sense of rhythm, I could move with the flow of the music and keep perfect timing. I also loved watching dance videos repeatedly, and memorizing steps came effortlessly to me. My passion for dance led me to join regular classes at Shiamak Davar’s Academy of Dance. I even had the privilege of performing on stage at St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra, as a member of his troupe for a few years.

Can you walk us through your journey from a dancer to a VFX artist?

In 2002, I enrolled in a one-year certificate course in Art at Rachna Sansad Institute in Dadar. From a young age, I was fascinated by the Cartoon Network channel. I loved watching their shows and sketching the characters. After completing Grade X, my curiosity about how cartoons were created led me to join a basic animation course at Arena Academy in Ghatkopar. That course sparked my interest in the field, and everything else followed.

Can you tell us a bit about your work?

I specialise in creating 3D models. I work as part of a team of seven at FOLKS Media Communication in Mumbai, a multinational company. My expertise spans Props Modelling, Transport and Vehicle Modelling, Character Modelling, Layout, Digital Sculpting, Texturing, and Design. I am skilled in creating rig-friendly high-polygon detailed meshes, low-polygon game designs, UV mapping, and texturing. I know this might sound very technical, but my work is both highly complex and creative.

What are the biggest advantages and challenges of working in a primarily hearing workplace?

Because of my disability, my colleagues are accommodating, cooperative, and supportive. My disability often becomes my strength. Let me explain—when I’m working, I’m completely undisturbed by the surrounding noise. My focus is entirely on the screen, and nothing distracts me. This is a unique advantage of being deaf, it allows me to deliver high-quality work that my team truly appreciates.

I communicate using sign language, lip reading, and gestures. I understand English easily through lip reading, and when needed, I use writing and gestures to convey my thoughts to my management and team. Their understanding and support make a world of difference!

Yours has been a silent triumph. What has been your strength in overcoming overcoming so many odds?

I owe everything to my mother. She always pushed me to strive for more. I remember my first job paid me just INR 1,800. During that time, I juggled multiple responsibilities—shuttling between the office, computer classes, dance classes, painting classes, and even conducting art and dance sessions for children in my building. I was always hungry to do more.

I continuously invested my time and money in learning new skills to stay updated. Technology evolves constantly, so I made it a point to enroll in courses for the latest software. I learnt web design, 2D Flash, 3D Max, Director, and Maya modelling at Arena Multimedia and MAAC. Even now, I attend evening classes after work. I’m currently part of the evening batch at MAAC (Maya Academy of Advanced Creativity), constantly upgrading my skills.

Everything I’ve achieved so far is because of my passion, hard work, and my mother’s support.

As a successful and accomplished artist, what advice would you give to youth with hearing disabilities?

My advice is this: Identify your passion and career goals as early as possible. Focus on self-development, and never stop learning or upgrading your skills. Remember, what’s new today can become outdated tomorrow. To stay relevant, maintain a steady pace of growth and adapt to change. Consistency and determination are the keys to success.

Also Read: Shruthi Poojary: The Fine Art of Overcoming Hearing Challenges

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