“I'll be a famous pianist and singer one day”, the confident voice of Ajilesh echoed in the almost empty room that we were sitting. I couldn't help smiling and appreciating the radiant glow that beamed from his little face as he said this. Looked like he had already pictured himself 20 years down the lane, sitting among dignitaries in an expensive suit, at his own musical concert.

I was distributing a few sweets to my other young friends on my first visit to Snehabhavan, when I heard a melodious voice singing to the tunes of a famous South Indian composer. Being an ardent lover of music I was just drifted to the place, by the small park of the orphanage. It was there that I spotted this boy, with a song book in hand, yodeling amidst loud cheers from his friends. He saw song after song, each time encouraged by louder kudos from the burgeoning group who kept the ball rolling. They were never tired of listening to him and he was never tired of singing for them. They were the only friends he knew...

He had it in him. That, what is needed to be a singer and a pianist-Passion. Passion for singing. Passion for playing the piano and unlike most of other street kids- a passion for living.

The lunch bell rang and the group reluctantly dispersed. It was then that I caught hold of this busy-body. I congratulated him for his god-gifted talent and he returned a friendly smile. He offered to dedicate and sing a song solely for me. I felt exalted. We sat by the park overlooking the sea, and he sang me my favorites. I joined him towards the end of the song and he again proffered me one of his cute smiles. I flipped through his song book- it would have taken me years to create one like that. Compositions and lyrics of his favorite songs (most of them, mine too), neatly penned down in pages embellished with stickers from his sticker collection. We talked about music, films and things we loved. That was the beginning of a friendship I knew would last.

On my second visit, he came running to me. Stuck to me while I spoke to the other kids. I managed to pick up another conversation with him. This time, he had two of his friends nearby-Jiffin and Manikandan. It was they who filled me in with surprising details of this smart boy - Trivandrum, Thrissur and Kasargod district level prizes for singing! For a boy with no strong foundation in singing except that given by God, competing and winning amongst "hi-fi" students from affluent families who had more than the necessary coaching was something that deserved appreciation. Not everyday you see talent and modesty going hand in hand.

The bit of piano he knows, is taught by the Don Bosco brother in Snehabhavan. He teaches that little bit to the other kids and works as an extraordinary motivator, nurturing the interest to the smaller guys who look up to him. “If I had a bit of money, I would learn some more piano and also classical music from a professional”, he said with regret in his eyes.

But, he never uses the hard earned money he gets, for himself. “All for Mummy”. His widowed mother is a daily worker, gets up and goes for work at 5.00 in the morning. Ajilesh spends his vacation in the hotel nearby his village making 'idli' and gets around 500 bucks (7 pounds) a week, the entire amount of which he slips into his mother's purse. :)

Your role model? “Abilash bhai” he said, referring to one of the senior inmates at Snehabhavan .A role model for this extraordinary chap!!! He took hold of my hands as we proceeded to meet Abilash...

The Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan in Cochin sits beside the main waterway from the Kerala backwaters into Port Cochin and then the sea. Sneha Bhavan is a portfolio of different services designed to help children in different situations.