No. 1 fan: Arulini (left) with Khasturi, who is one of her biggest supporters.
JOHOR BARU: Having autism hasn’t been an obstacle to A. Arulini to shine in music – she was humming melodies long before she could speak.
The 22-year-old, who was diagnosed with mild autism and speech delay as a child, said she only started speaking when she was seven years old.
“Talking did not come easy for me as a child, but I was able to use my voice in other ways.
“My mother used to catch me humming along to songs when I was young, long before I could even speak.
“In a way, music has helped me express myself in a way that words could never,” said the eldest of two siblings in an interview.
Arulini, who made the country proud with her performances in a popular reality singing show in India, said she was only eight years old when she performed for the first time.
“I remember performing in front of a crowd for the first time during a Teacher’s Day celebration.
“I do not know what gave me the courage to do so at such a young age, but at that time, I remember thinking that I just wanted everyone to hear my voice,” said the Johorean.
The Multimedia University student has been singing since then, and in April this year, she tried her luck and auditioned for the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Seniors.
“My friend saw a post on social media about an audition for the reality show, so I decided to give it a try as it felt like a fun challenge.
“I did not expect to be selected, but to my surprise, I made it to the next round and was given a chance to be in the show,” said Arulini, who then spent about seven months in India.
Although she was not selected as one of the finalists for the show, Arulini had consistently been charming audiences and judges with her performances.
“It was a fun experience for me, and I am glad that I gave it a chance despite having to be away from my family for so long.
“My hope is to inspire others, especially those with autism, to strive and continue giving the best they can in anything they do.
“Most importantly, I want to prove that autism is more than just a disability, and that we are special in our own ways,” she said.
Her mother, R. Khasturi, said she is proud of her daughter and will continue to support her in anything she does.
“As a mother, I am very proud to see my daughter growing and shining.
“She has turned out to be an inspiration to many parents and children, especially autistic children, giving them hope,” she said.
