Sparsh Shah a.k.a. “Purhythm” is a 20-year-old prodigy, singer, songwriter, rapper, inspirational speaker, philanthropist, and Guinness World Records holder. He was born with an incurable disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which makes his bones extremely fragile/brittle, due to which even a hard hand shake can break his bones. He cannot bear weight on his hands and legs; and hence cannot walk or run like other normal kids. He had more than 140 fractures and multiple rod surgeries (8 rods and 22 screws in his body). Despite all the challenges in life, Sparsh’s spirit is unbreakable and he has inspired millions of people all over the world with his musical talent and motivational speeches. Sparsh has been training in Indian classical music for last thirteen years and American vocal music for over eight years. He has multiple talents and has done over 300 live performances in 9 countries in front of audiences from 100 to 50,000 people live, including Howdy, Modi! (Prime Minister of India and President of USA) at NRG Stadium (50K people in the audience and 2 billion watched it live), WE DAY UN (19K people) at Barclay’s Center, NY Mets Vs Pirates Game @Citifield, NBC/Telemundo 47 Health & Fitness Expo @NYGiants Metlife Stadium, Governor Murphy’s Inauguration Ceremony, GRAMMY PARK as one of the Top 4 Next Generation: Emerging Artists, Garden of Dreams Concerts @ Radio City Music Hall, Harvard Vs Yale University’s Rivalry on Ice, NY Knicks Vs Indiana Pacers, NY Knicks Vs 76ers, NY Knicks Vs Detroit Pistons, NY Knicks Vs Phoenix, NY Knicks Vs Atlanta Hawks, Harlem Globetrotters Game @Madison Square Garden, NJ Devils Game@Prudential Center, UFL Pro World Cup, Diwali@Times Square, United Nations HQ, TEDx Gateway@NCPA, Largest India Day Parade in NYC, Shankar Mahadevan’s Concert@Symphony Hall, Shaan’s Concert@NJPAC, Prudential Advisors @Intrepid Museum, etc.
Sparsh has appeared on several radio and television shows such as World’s Greatest Motivators; NBC: Little Big Shots USA, George To The Rescue (Nominated for NY Emmy Award), TODAY Show, The Maury Show; iTV: Little Big Shots UK; BBC; WABC; WGN TV; RTL TV; NOS Jeudgjournaal TV, CNA TV; TOCA BOCA TV; NDTV; Daily Blast Live TV Show; SONY TV: Kaun Banega Crorepati (Aired in 190+ countries and watched by a billion people), Keys To Kismat; TV Asia: Focus Live; Doordarshan TV: In Conversation With; Independence Day Special, Inspirational Story, etc.
Sparsh has been a keynote speaker at United Nations (3 times), Google, Microsoft, Cisco (2 times), Bank of America, Walmart, VMalaysia (20K), NBA Preseason Referee Meet, World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, J&J (3 times), ADP, Deloitte, Oppenheimer Funds, Comfort Company, Horizon BCBSNJ, Aditya Birla Capital (18K), Infosys (20K), Driven by Suzanne Evans, CIF Higher Education Forum, Vraj Walkathon, iCAN Summit, GOAFEST, MOCAAPI Gala, RAJMAAI, Hindi USA Mahotsav, JAINA, Gujarati Unity Festival, BEST 2020 Youth Leadership Empowerment Conference, The HR Congress, VOSAP Gala 2021/2022, Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A), SGCCI, etc.
Sparsh has won prizes in nine singing competitions, including the prestigious “Young Voice of NYC;” whereby he became the Youth Ambassador for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He is currently a Youth Ambassador for VOSAP and Smart Village Foundation.
Sparsh became a worldwide internet sensation with the launch of Eminem’s cover song, “Not Afraid” with over 80 million views on all social media sites combined. He was recognized and applauded by Eminem’s Shady Records, Chris Brown, Akon, Jay Sean, Salman Khan, Shiamak Davar, Vikas Khanna, Brooke Lewis, Vinny Paz on their social media/websites. Subsequently, Sparsh launched his first cover album, “Tribute To Eminem.” With this album, Sparsh initiated a unique idea to pioneer a sub-genre of music called “Raga-Rap”. It is an amazing combination of Indian Classical Music with Hip Hop-Rap.
Sparsh was ranked as one of the top 10 child prodigies of Indian origin that make us swell with pride by Yahoo. He was selected by ADP as one of the top two emerging leaders in the US. Sparsh has now garnered over 300 million views and is followed in 150+ countries on all social media. He fulfilled his dream to perform in front of a billion people twice before becoming an adult. Sparsh delivered an inspirational speech: “My Disability Does not Define Me” on #WEDAY UN organized by WE.org to inspire 19,000 world-changers at Barclays Center. Sparsh was featured by GOALCAST as well as Project Nightfall and received over 30 million views.
Sparsh delivered an amazingly inspirational TEDx Talk: “How a 13 year old turned Impossible to I’M Possible” at Asia’s largest TEDx event: TEDx Gateway. This has become the most viewed TEDx Gateway talk ever with over 25 million views on all social media. Sparsh appeared three more times on the TEDx platform: The World Has Changed – A ray of hope from two child prodigies, How to narrate your story like a prodigy, and How to “Sparsh” (touch) the world with social media. He was featured by Mumbai Mirror, India Times, DNA, Free Press Journal, Mumbai Samachar, Chitralekha, Gujarat Mitra, Gujarat Guardian, Sandesh, Lokmat, OHeraldo Goa, AdGully, NavGujarat Samay, Navbharat Times, Dainik Jagaran, Republic TV, Bombay Times, etc.
Sparsh was featured in an amazing cover of Michael Jackson’s song: Heal The World by Maati Baani, which has over 75 million views.
Sparsh has sung five songs for a cartoon character on TOCA BOCA TV and an original song, Childhood Love in an English movie.
Sparsh collaborated with Times Music to release India’s National Anthem on the Republic Day of India on Times Music’s YT channel.
Sparsh released a cover song, Chand Sifarish and received accolades from Shaan and later invited Sparsh to perform at his concert at NJPAC, NJ. Sparsh also opened the concerts for Shankar Mahadevan and Sukhwinder Singh/Kanika Kapoor. Sparsh collaborated to create an original song, “I Am, We Are” for an award-winning motion picture, ‘Anthems: A Journey Around The World!’
Sparsh has worked as an inspirational speaker to the Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals Cricket Teams for India’s biggest professional Cricket League tournament, Indian Premier League (IPL).
Sparsh was a Pi Champion of his school, has memorized 347 digits of Pi, Woodbridge District Spelling Bee Champion, Finalist at FTC World Robotics Championship, can speak some of the 12 longest words in English dictionary in less than 18 seconds, can speak in 4 different accents in English, written 70+ original songs (7 songs released), several poems, stories, inspirational/motivational speeches (We are at a Crossroads, “We Are Disabled”, “Three Lessons of Life”, “3W’s of Winning”, “How to get rid of fear and build self-confidence”, “Self-Responsibility and Social-Responsibility in Advertising”, “Driven for Entrepreneurs”, “Passion and Purpose for Higher Education”, “7 Habits of I’M Possible People”, “Service to Humanity is the Service to God”, “How can you be unstoppable in life”, “COVID: A Redefinition”).
Sparsh has been featured in various inspirational documentary films:
1) ESPN E:60
2) Galileo (Wonder Kids), a GERMAN Television Show
3) Brittle Bone Rapper-Inspirational World of Sparsh by Real Stories
4) I Am Limitless By Daniel Andersen
Sparsh has been featured in the following inspirational Podcasts:
1) Be Brilliant: Feel The Joy By Microsoft
2) Live Inspired: Turn Impossible to I’M Possible By John O’Leary
3) Finding Your Summit: Combining Indian Classical Music with Hip Hop By Mark Pattisson
4) Questions Nobody Answers by NMIMS, one of the top MBA/Management Colleges of India
5) Sparsh Shah on Turning Impossible into I’M Possible by Rockstar Principles
Philanthropy: Sparsh been a catalyst in helping raise over 2 million dollars by performing and participating in fundraisers for various philanthropic organizations such as VOSAP, Smart Village Foundation, Mission Possible Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Akshaya Patra, Literacy Drive for orphanages in Guyana, St. Jude’s, Nepal earthquake victims, Chennai flood victims, HHH, Share and Care Foundation, Sankara Eye Foundation, 5Ks for NJID, March of Dimes, Enable Inc, FOP, CRY America Inc., Garden of Dreams Foundation, Encourage Kids Foundation, Joey Logano Foundation, Mission Possible Foundation, Care4Brittle Bones, Rotary Club, etc.
Awards Received:
• “In the Limelight” Rebranding Disability Through Achievement by Lime Connect
• “Danny Music Award,” The Most Joyful Expression of a Cover” from Daniel’s Music Foundation
• “Student Recognition Award” by Middlesex County School Boards Assocn. & The Middlesex County Assocn. of School Administrators
• “International Youngest Achiever Award” by Shri Vidhyanand Swami Digambar Jain Trust
• “International Excellence Award” by Organisation Mondiale Pour La Paix / The World Organization For Peace (OMPP/WOFP) in Spain
• “20 Under 20 Global Indian-Male Award” by YONO SBI
• “Recognition for spreading Gandhian values of peace, non-violence & humanism” by Indian Consulate General of India, NY
• “Best Motivational Speaker and Youth Singer Award” by Shiamak USA
• “Global Indian Award” by Canada India Foundation
• “JL Kids Crew” by Joey Logano Foundation
• “Special Achievements Award” by GOPIO & citation certificate by The State of NJ Senate and General Assembly
• “Global Inspiration Award” from The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI)
• “Best Male Singer-Most Popular Vote Award” at IFAB Music Awards
• “2017 RARE Champion of Hope Award” by Global Genes
• “Champion of Inclusion Award” by National Inclusion Project
• “Special Achievements Award” from Glorious India Expo at NJ Expo Center, NJ
• “Junior Phenom Award” by Harlem Globetrotters
• “Inspiration Award of Excellence” by South Asian American Community Outreach (SACO) organization
• “Most Inspiring Individual Award” at the International Children’s Advisory Network (ICAN) Summit in Barcelona, Spain
• “Shoorveer Award” by Ample Mission in India
