Her eyes lit up. She quivered with joy and an understanding crept in her heart- her hands could create. As she held that black velvet cat she held in her hands, it felt as if a miracle had happened. A flat fabric had become a three-dimensional toy to hold- it was magic indeed to the five-year-old little girl. The memory of this class remained deeply imprinted in her mind while growing up and perhaps it was this experience in early childhood which paved the way for her future life. For that little girl is now a Puppet and doll maker, Toy Pedagogy Expert, an International Storyteller and Storytelling Coach, and an Education Consultant, Seema Wahi Mukherjee and lays great emphasis on hands-on, experiential, and integrated learning. In all her interactions- whether with children or with adults, Seema aims at creating engaging, safe, joyful, and stimulating learning environments. Through her storylines in puppetry and storytelling, she gently and subtly questions prejudices, mindsets, and attempts to bring about a shift in individuals for personal transformation.
Seema is a postgraduate in Garment Manufacturing Technology from NIFT, a Post Graduate in Education Leadership, and Masters in English. Though she started out as a Toy designer and manufacturer and ran her own company from 1997-2006, then branched into Education and storytelling. During the lockdown with more time in hand post her sessions, she again picked up cloth, needle, and thread to create customized dolls and puppets. Her work is much appreciated and valued.
Seema can be reached at seemawahimukherjee@gmail.com
