Kolkata-based dance duo Bad Salsa has made many of us proud as it has made a name for itself on international platforms. After winning India’s Got Talent, the dance duo – Sonali Majumdar and Maraju Sumanth – has reached the finale of one of the most popular talent shows in the world, America’s Got Talent.
But this journey has been any easy for the duo, especially for Sonali, who is a farmer’s daughter from rural West Bengal.
Earlier, in a video shared on Bad Salsa’s official Instagram page, the 16-year-old Sonali revealed her inspiring story. She mentioned how her father earns a mere dollar per day to feed his family. She further shared how her family faces challenges every day due to the lack of money and that some days they can’t even afford food to eat.
I come from a distant village near the Bangladesh border where there was no electricity. My father is a farmer who used to earn approximately Rs 80 per day and had a tough time raising the family. After ‘India’s Got Talent’, the village came into limelight and eventually electricity supply was made available. Now we own some land, and have built a house for our family.
While sharing how dancing gave her inspiration during the toughest phase of her life, she mentioned to The Better India,
I started dancing when I was only three-years-old. I would often dance on the stage at melas and the events in my village. Everyone would appreciate me and tell my father that he should encourage me to dance.
Her father is a farmer who grows rice, bananas, and vegetables while her mother is a homemaker. Although her father struggled to make ends meet, he did everything to fulfill his daughter’s dreams. After receiving her choreographer’s number, Sonali’s father admitted her for dance classes just at the age of 7.
Her father, Shonnashi Majumdar, 43, has one bigha land and works on others’ lands. He had always felt his daughter’s potential of becoming a dancing star.
“She has been a talented dancer since birth. She couldn’t just walk, she would always be dancing around. And as she grew older, her talent and dedication motivated me further,” he recalls.
The proud father expresses how it was difficult for them to stay apart. But her success was worth the sacrifice.
“She fills my heart with pride every single day. It’s not just me, but everyone in the village feels this way, because she started with almost nothing. As a father, I only did what was in my power, but she accomplished everything else with her hard work and will power. That is truly amazing,”
At IFORHER, we are in awe of Sonali’s inspiring journey. We wish the duo luck and hope they would keep inspiring us with their strength and courage.