Thakor Patel

He moved to Zimbabwe in 1980 to help his cousin set up a print factory in Harare, where he resided for most of his life.

Eventually, he was approached by a friend, Jeram Patel, (who incidentally also became a well-known artist) who asked him if he wanted to study art.

Even teachers would be involved in the action mentioning that because he was handicapped, he would never become an artist who could remotely succeed, never mind make a living from it.

Yet, as he was at the interview he was questioned due to him being handicapped they claimed students might laugh and it would be too difficult to work in that sort of atmosphere.

Thakor's personal skills took a step up, as he began to sketch more, do more figurative work and started to draw more of nature.

Patel then studied for two years in Ahmedabad until his friend proclaimed that he could now go the Sir J.J School of Art in Bombay.

However, Thakor proclaimed that he used to play cricket and had no problem climbing a tree to paint murals that were on the wall.

The daughter of Mr Mahante (his boss) was also handicapped meaning he understood the difficulties that Mr. Patel was facing, resulting in him being in Bombay for two years after.

The man adored his paintings and wanted to even purchase one, however he mentioned that he didn't have any money with him but he would pay him abroad from America.

[5] Upon returning to India and living there with his family, he was approached by a relative who pondered if he would like to help him run a print shop in Zimbabwe.

[citation needed] He agreed and moved to Harare by himself in 1980, initially only planning on staying for a year, maybe even two, but eventually coming to the realization that he quite liked it there.

[citation needed] This love for Africa may have been passed down to him from his father, who used to live there and regularly mentioned how much he cherished it.

Thakor defended this by claiming where he grew up, much violence had occurred and people were ruthless, this he had to express and not keep inside him, even though it may be negative.

Things changed for Patel though, as one day instead of walking down Moffat Road, asking small shops to sell his small drawings for 50 cents, being rejected, and seen as a beggar looking for cheap money, he walked down Manica Road and saw Gallery Delta, where he instantly felt like he belonged there.