Distraught after he lost his livelihood in Mumbai due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, 44-year-old dance teacher Balaji Sawalkar arrived in Delhi to start life afresh.
But he found no takers for his dancing skills in the national Capital.
When he ran out of money, he started to live in ‘Rain Basera', a night shelter for homeless people in the city.
It was here the Delhi Police found him and helped him to get a job at a restaurant.
Talking to PTI, Sawalkar said he is a professional dancer and had been performing for the past 20 years. He said he had opened a dance academy called ‘Bali Step of Dance Classes' at Saki Naka in Mumbai in 2013. Sawalkar said he also has a registered company named ‘Bali Events and Entertainment LLP' but it has been closed for now.
“I had a dance institute in Mumbai which has been closed due to the COVID-19 as the premises were on rent and I did not have funds to run it anymore. I was running out of money and left Mumbai. When I moved out of Mumbai, I went to four to five students' homes at different places, including Odisha and Bihar.
“I was exploring whether I can open a new academy, but I saw the situation as same there,” Sawalkar said.
He reached the national capital by train on Diwali, November 4, last year to explore more possibilities. “I reached here and initially was living at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. Later, I shifted to a nearby Rain Basera. The arrangements at the Rain Basera are good and we get food. The SHO sir came at the Rain Basera and chose some persons, including me, to help in getting some livelihood.
“I have joined Sandoz at Connaught Place on Friday (January 18) in food packaging department. I was informed that I will get Rs 18,000 salary per month. My aim is to continue as a dance teacher.