Khan Shahalam

Shahalam Khan was born on 20 May 1985 in Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh, India). At the age of one, he contracted polio, which led to a severe disability: both legs and one hand have been paralysed since then. Later, due to another illness, he also lost mobility in both hands. Despite these challenges, he developed a strong passion for art at an early age. At the age of four, he began to draw and paint – initially with his hand, later exclusively with his mouth. Today, Shahalam Khan is 99 % physically impaired and creates his paintings as well as elaborate pop-up greeting cards with his mouth. In addition to art, he passionately enjoys playing carrom and singing. In April 2025, he married a woman who is also disabled.