American virtuoso teaches violin to cleft-lipped children in Varanasi

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), May 12 (ANI): Famous American violinist Paul Peabody, who played the violin for the Hollywood flick ‘Titanic’, imparted violin-playing techniques to cleft-lipped children at the G S Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi city.

Peabody said that inspired by Oscar winning documentary ‘Smile Pinki’, he decided to visit the hospital and meet these cleft-lipped children, who are treated as part of global initiative ‘The Smile Train Project’.

The 54-year-pold violinist further said that he contacted Dr Subodh Kumar Singh, the owner of the G S Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital in this regard.

“I e-mailed Dr Subodh and suggesting coming and playing a little music to the kids and so far it’s been real joy,” said Peabody.

Peabody, who came all the way from the USA for the purpose stayed with children at the hospital for an hour and played music for them, and taught them violin-playing techniques.

Peabody also played the music from ‘Titanic’ for the children.

“Children, who have undergone this surgery and who have to undergo a surgery, to make them happy he played the music. He came here and played the music to make children as well as their parents feel happy. Since two days, he has been coming here and will come here for few more days,” said Dr Singh.

Cleft-lip is a type of congenital deformity caused by abnormal facial development during gestation, in which a cleft or a gap is created above the upper lip. It can be successfully treated with surgery now.

American filmmaker Megan Mylan won the best short documentary Oscar for her movie ‘Smile Pinki’, a heartwarming tale of a poor Indian village girl whose cleft lip made her a social outcast.

The documentary traces Pinki’s journey from being ostracised to being treated like a normal girl after a social worker helped her undergo surgery. (ANI)