KOHIMA: A 15-year-old blind Naga boy is creating sensation by singing in at least 16 different language.
Ham-e-Konyak, the blind Naga boy, has proved that “if you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it”.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Born on November 21, 2007, Ham-e-Konyak hails from a small village in Kongan in Mon district of Nagaland.
Ham-e-Konyak can sing in most of the languages of Naga tribes.
He can sing in Sumi, Yimchunger, Angami, Rengma, English, Assamese, Hindi and a host of other tribal Naga languages.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Konyak also has a YouTube channel, where he uploads songs, sung by him, in different languages with the help of his brother-in-law.
Ham-e-Konyak didn’t acquire any formal training in music.
Also read: Nagaland | Naga political issue: No solution without flag and constitution, says NSCN-IM
However, with sheer determination and grit, Ham-e-Konyak was able to learn the nuances of music and trained himself in playing guitar and other musical instruments.
“When I was a kid, I was not normal like others. I also never went to school. So there was no option except to sit at home and listen to music. Gradually, I developed a kind of passion for music and singing. These days my father and my brother-in-law help me find new songs or the latest songs on YouTube, and that is how I learned many songs,” Ham-e-Konyak told The Statesman.
The gifted teenager, however, regrets that there is no school for blind children near where he resides, which forced him to remain illiterate.
“I wish I could also go to school just like normal kids. I am very much interested in language. I took up singing almost all Naga tribe songs in their languages and I completed it successfully though I don’t know the meanings. I also want to apologize to all my Naga brothers and sisters if ever I make any mistakes in tone and pronunciation,” he said.