La Frida Shanthi

Artist in charge of Jayamangala

Frida fled from Pune at the age of 4. She was picked up at the Bangalore railway station and taken to the house where she became a domestic worker.

Once day, the whole family went outside where she was locked up at the house and by the time they came back, they found the mobile lost. So, she was doubted and tortured by her owner by his pouring melt plastic bag on her leg. She fled from the house and went to Salem, Tamil Nadu where she worked in the silk factory.

After two years, she came back to Bangalore. 

Frida is one of the original members since she participated in the camp which took place in 2005. She came from the other girl's hotel and here she saw the total different kind of free atmosphere. This was where she was encouraged to learn arts.

After a year, she somehow managed to leave the hostel and came to John. At that time, John was sculpting a huge stone in Ravindra Kalakshetra and when she came, she was give a sand paper by John who asked her to smoothen a stone. Yes, this was the day she joined the Bornfree. Since then, she has been going through the training of sculpting, photographing, dance, painting, architecture, music and clay-modelling.

Her grown-up history at the Bornfree as an artist is amazing. Though she had to go through millions of difficulties, she is now a mother of her children in Jayamangala. She realized that what she needs in her life the most is not money, but love and friendship. That is where she stands out as a person at the Bornfree. 

Frida's original name was Lakshmi. But John has identified her as a talented artist and he named her after Frida Kalo. La still stands for Lakshmi, and of course Shanthi means peace.