Imphal, October 15 2010: Living in a society, free from violence where a sense of security prevails is what young painter, Konthoujam Michael, disabled in a bomb blast, yearns for.

Twenty-two year old Michael of Wakhong village was a victim of a tragic bomb blast at Pourabi in Imphal east district on December 16, 2007 that blew up a passenger bus.

The blast claimed the lives of many people leaving many other permanently handicapped.

Michael, who was one of the victims, lost both his legs in the blast.

He faced the tragic incident as he was coming back home after attending a painting competition in Imphal on that very day.

"I want to live in a society where both the underground groups struggling for sovereignty and security forces countering them take care of the lives of innocent civilians.

I am eagerly waiting for the day when this society I am living in is free from all forms of violence," Michael said talking to Hueiyen Lanpao.

He added, "I want to keep painting and expressing all the sorrow and pain inflicted by armed conflict till I get tired of it" .

Before the bomb blast, he was a student of Imphal Art College.

"I was studying second year in the Bachelor of Fine Art," he recalled.

Since that tragic day, Michael said, he can easily visualize the victims of an armed conflict, the difficult lives of victims of bomb blasts and of those receiving threats under the gun.

He said the joys of being a child, playing in the fields with friends, going to the hills, the lakes and rivers had been snatched away from him.

Recalling his childhood, when he was interested.

in the beauty of nature, Michael said that all desires to enjoy the beauty of nature ended when he found himself in bed no.7 of the ophthalmic department, RIMS with both his legs lost.

"Luckily my two hands were spared and I thank the Almighty for leaving my hands intact so that I can still sketch the beauty of nature of which I crave for but without my legs I can't get total satisfaction," he said.

In due course of time, I am now satisfied in painting, expressing and concentrating in creative work so that I can better express my feelings for bomb blast victims in my works.

Michael has won over 50 medals in painting competitions including two gold medals in national level painting competitions.

He had applied for a post in fine arts at JNIMS.

If he is not successful, he is thinking of surrendering all the medals he has received to the Chief Minister.

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