Actress and Bharatnatyam dancer Sudhaa Chandran has shared a post on Instagram to reveal how it pains her when she is asked to remove her artificial limb each time she is going through security “grill” at the airport while on a professional trip.
Captioning her post: “Totally hurt ….each time going thru this grill is very very hurting….hope my message reaches the state Nd central govt authorities….and expecting a prompt action …..,” the actor has appealed to PM Narendra Modi to issue special cards to disabled people, similar to one issued to senior citizens, which would save them from such harassment, stating that it “hurts.”
The 56-year-old Sudhaa Chandran had lost her leg in an accident on May 2, 1981. She had returned to dancing and acting again using a prosthetic foot.
The actor, while narrating her harrowing experiences at airports every time she travels for work, said that despite requesting the airport authorities to conduct an “ETD (Explosive Trace Detector) for her artificial limb,” they ask her to remove it every time.
In a video, she said: “Good evening, this is a very personal note that I want to tell to our dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, this is an appeal to the central government, I am Sudhaa Chandran, an actress and dancer by profession, who has danced with an artificial limb and created history and made my country very proud of me.”
She further added: “But every time that I go on my professional visits, each time, am stopped at the airport and when I request them at the security, to the CISF officers that please do an ETD (Explosive Trace Detector) for my artificial limb, they still want me to remove my artificial limb and show it to them. Is this humanly possible, Modi ji? Is this what our country is talking about? Is this the respect that a woman gives to another woman in our society? It is my humble request to you Modi ji that please give senior citizens a card that says they are senior citizens.”
Anticipating a speedy response, she expressed hope that her appeal reaches the government.
Sudha Chandran is an Indian actress and an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer. She started her career with Telugu film Mayuri, which was based on her own life. She had won the special jury award at the National Film festival for the movie. Recently, Sudhaa has been seen in TV shows like ‘Kaahin Kissii Roz’ and all the seasons of ‘Naagin’.
