Jesfer Pulikkathody Kottakkunnu was born on 2 January 1985 in Malappuram, a small town in Kerala, India. He has been suffering from muscular dystrophy for the past several years, which means almost all of his entire body is paralyzed from the neck down. While still at school, he painted using his hands. But due to the progression of the disease, he had to quit school. Over the years he learned to write and paint with his mouth.
After reading the autobiography of the then president of India, Dr Abdul Kalam, he was deeply inspired and touched that he painted the President’s portrait and had the opportunity to present it to him personally. In the year 2007 he was chosen for a prize awarded by the Kodamkanthath International Art Foundation. Jesfer Palikkathody has been a member of MFPA since 2009.
