As his Instagram Bio, says, ‘A cute little being with extra chromosome, cuteness, and kindness.’ Aakash Chiripal is a soul that this world needs. He is a cute and innocent guy who loves to make reels and live his life without any tension. He is more than a child with down-syndrome. I recently talked to his sister, Sanchi Chiripal who manages his account and helps him to create reels.
Q) He has become an internet sensation. How do you come up with the idea of reels?
A) They are my ideas. While scrolling through Instagram reels, I get these ideas, show them to him and then he approves. There are only limited things he can do. So, according to his limitations or restrictions, perception we change it and then create the reel.
Q) What is his reaction to all the fame and love he is getting from people?
A) He is very excited. He does not understand Instagram and these things. I tell him that I will make a video and show it to people. He gets hope that people are seeing and liking his videos. So, when I tell him that this video is doing good and so many people have watched it, he gets very excited. He loves making these videos. When people are appreciating him, when I am getting messages through DMs or comments, I tell him, so he gets very excited and happy about it.
Q) You are his sister; you understand him better. What do you think his philosophy of life is?
A) Honestly, his philosophy of life is to live happy, live life tension-free. Many people ask on Instagram what he does for a living and I don’t reply to do them because honestly, he does nothing. 5-6 years ago, he went into depression, before depression, he was a very active guy and a prankster. He used to do everything or tell the house help to do the work. After the depression, he does not do anything. He chit-chats relaxes and chills. He does not have any tension in his life. The only tension he has is that covid is not getting over and he is not able to travel.
Q) Being such a supportive sister and you are taking care of him; do you feel any struggle?
A) Honestly, there are none. If you love someone, there is nothing that puts behind us. Especially during Covid time, when we all are at home right now, we have grown closer to each other. Eventually, I used to go to college, I was out from 8:00 am and come around 6:00 pm, so the bonding time we used to get was very little. During covid, we bonded way too much. We did everything together. During my online classes, sometimes he used to sit with me, we used to play around randomly. So, honestly, there is nothing like that as of now and I hope it remains the same.
Q) What is your message to our readers?
A) The message I want to give is that the down-syndrome kids really need your love. When you go to the market and someone stares, even if someone stares at you and me, it becomes awkward. But, when someone stares a down-syndrome kid in a market. they might already be a little awkward because there are not open to strangers. When people stare at them, they may become more awkward. Be open to them, do not shut yourself around them. When you shut yourself around them then they have no option as they are not totally emotionally expressive and that puts them into depression and they might feel that they are lower than other people. Be open and happy around them. Try to give love and communicate with them.
Down syndrome is not a tag. It’s just a genetic condition that can affect any child. Love them and you will find joy.
