When Colours Decipher Silence: Odisha Artist Subrat Lets His Art Speak, Dreams Of Painting A Brighter Future
Deaf and non-speaking artist Subrat Kumar Sahu expresses himself through paintings and sculptures, winning awards while dreaming of bright future through art, reports Satyajit Rout.
Published : August 31, 2026 at 10:36 AM IST
Bhubaneswar: When words do not mean anything, colours do the needful for Subrat Kumar Sahu. The 19-year-old cannot hear or speak, but a look at his paintings is enough to understand what occupies his mind - the colours and the story they tell.
At his rented home in Bhubaneswar’s Bomikhal area, there are colours, paintbrushes, clay figures, certificates and trophies. Each tells a little of Subrat’s story. He paints, makes idols and builds small models, often spending hours at work without distraction.
Subrat was born deaf and dumb. He uses sign language to communicate and sometimes writes messages when he needs to explain something. His family has learnt to follow his gestures. For them, understanding him is now part of everyday life.
His mother, Rashmita Sahu, says Subrat has been interested in art for years. Whenever a festival draws near, he begins thinking about the idol he will make next. Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Ganesh Puja have all found a place in his work. With Ganesh Puja approaching, Subrat is now making a Ganesh idol. He asks his mother for colours and other materials and she buys whatever the family can afford.
But Rath Yatra is the occasion he waits for the most.
A few days before the festival, Subrat makes clay idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. He then puts together a small chariot using wooden strips and other materials. On Rath Yatra, the chariot is decorated and pulled through the locality.
It is no longer just a family affair. Neighbours join the celebration, while other residents come out to look at the miniature chariot and the idols made by Subrat.
“Whenever there is a festival, he makes an idol. He has made idols of Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh. We worship them at home. If he asks for colours or any other material, I bring it for him,” Rashmita said.
Born on January 1, 2006, Subrat studied at Debaraj Bidyapitha High School in Bomikhal. He passed the Class 10 board examination in 2024 with 50 per cent marks. He later studied at an ITI college in Jatni, but his interest has remained firmly rooted in art. He is now preparing to study the subject further.
Subrat is the only son of Rashmita and Shyamsundar Sahu from Malisara village under Nuagaon police limits in Nayagarh district. They have lived in Bhubaneswar for nearly 20 years and currently stay in a rented house at Dayanand Nagar in Bomikhal.
Shyamsundar runs an electrical shop at Jharpada. His earnings support the family, leaving little money for additional expenses. Still, Subrat’s parents try to make sure that a shortage of art materials does not interrupt his work.
His paintings and sculptures have won him prizes at school and other competitions, including events at the state level. The certificates and trophies he has collected are a mark of talent the young artist holds.
Rashmita hopes her son will be able to receive formal training in art and eventually earn a living through his work. “We have supported him as much as our financial condition has allowed. We will try to arrange more help so that he can move forward. We want him to study art in Bhubaneswar and build his future,” adds Rashmita.
Behind that hope lies a parent’s worry about what will happen when Subrat has to manage life on his own. “We will not be with him forever. We pray that he goes far in the field of art and becomes capable of looking after himself,” Rashmita said with moist eyes.
Subrat does not say much about the road ahead. He returns instead to his colours and clay. Of course, he tries to explain his feelings through hand movement and gestures. For now, every painting he completes and every idol he shapes takes him a little closer to the future his family wants for him.
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