Oscar-famed Pinky gets grand welcome

Varanasi, Feb 28 (ANI): Pinky Sonkar, the protagonist of Oscar winning documentary 'Smile Pinky', got a rousing welcome at her native village here on Saturday.

'Smile Pinky' is the story of a child with a lip deformity which won the award for best short documentary at the famed Academy Awards.

Pinki's neighbours and relatives gathered at the Varanasi airport and greeted her with garlands.

The shy little girl was accompanied by her father and Dr. Subodh Singh, the surgeon who gave Pinki the smile that ushered her into the Hollywood's Red Carpet.

She was so excited about the whole experience.

Dr. Singh was hopeful that the documentary would create a lot of awareness about lip deformity in the society.

"This Oscar has created a lot of awareness about lip deformity. I am hopeful many doctors, hospitals and people will come forward and join hands with Smile Train Foundation. We will in return help such people suffering with lip problems not only in India but all over the world," said Singh.

Pinky's father said he would go all out to help out people who suffer from cleft lips.

"I will help them, I will tell them the name of the hospitals and doctors. I will not wait for them to approach me. But I will go to their doors and help them in curing this lip deformity," said Rajendra Sonkar.

Megan Mylan's film 'Smile Pinky' depicts the saga of six-year-old Pinki Sonkar who had become a social outcaste because of a cleft lip.

The 39-minute documentary traces Pinki's journey from being ostracized to being treated like a normal girl after a social worker helped her undergo surgery. (ANI)