One-handed origami prodigy to meet Akie Abe

A 10-year-old boy from Ahmedabad, born without a hand, will be one of the fortunate kids to meet and greet the first lady of Japan Akie Abe. Abe will inaugurate an Origami Mahotsav, exhibiting models of Japanese paper-folding art made by students from the state, on Thursday at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA).

The exhibition which will be open for public till Saturday is being organised by Indo-Japan Friendship Association (IJFA), Gujarat. Darsh Soni from Zydus School of Excellence, who does not have a hand since birth has not let his physical disability be a barrier. Soni, who stays at Jivraj Park, said, "I started learning Origami through online videos a month before the competition. I am glad that my models, a dinosaur and a flower, have been selected for display. I make Origami models with one hand with ease."

Winners of the Origami competition will be getting prizes, personally picked up by Abe from Japan. She will also donate 45 books to Japan Information Centre's Library at AMA.

Expert speak

Laljibhai Shyal from Bhavnagar has been teaching origami to kids for free. 
Runs an initiative called Origami for Peace’