Finding Her Voice: Young Refugee Uses Music to Inspire Others
At 19, Dishatana is balancing two dreams. Today, she is a physiotherapy student at a private college in Chennai. Beyond the classroom, she is a singer whose voice has inspired audiences across Tamil Nadu. In February 2026, she became the first runner-up in Super Singer, one of the state's most popular singing competitions.
A Sri Lankan refugee, Dishatana spent her early childhood in a refugee camp, where few young people imagined careers in music or higher education. Hoping to give their children a better future, her family later moved to Chennai. Even then, life as a refugee continued to bring challenges.
"I cannot appear for government examinations, nor can I travel outside India because I don't have a passport," she says. "There are limitations, but I have always believed that I should focus on what is possible."
Music offered that possibility.
Her journey began when she participated in Little Champs, where she finished as the second runner-up. The experience gave her confidence and opened opportunities to perform at concerts. Rather than spending the money she earned, Dishatana invested in professional singing lessons. Her mother, who worked in a doll factory to support the family, encouraged her to keep pursuing her passion. For the next ten years, Dishatana balanced her education with disciplined musical training, determined to improve with every performance.
That perseverance culminated in February 2026, when she stood on the Super Singer stage as the first runner-up. For Dishatana, it was more than a personal achievement. It was proof that a young refugee could succeed on one of the country's biggest entertainment platforms, a remarkable achievement built on talent, perseverance and determination.
Today, her success is creating opportunities beyond herself. Refugee children and young people regularly approach her for guidance, seeing in her journey a reminder that their own aspirations are worth pursuing. She encourages them to continue their education, develop their talents and believes that being a refugee is not what defines them and their future. Over the past year, she has also coached four aspiring singers, charging only a nominal fee to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent them from learning.
Looking ahead, Dishatana hopes to build a career in both physiotherapy and music while reaching even more young people through mentorship and performance. She dreams of performing on larger stages, travelling internationally one day, and using her voice to create opportunities for others.
“My journey shows that being a refugee does not stop you from dreaming,” she said at a UNHCR–SICCI partnership event in Chennai held as part of World Refugee Day celebrations. “When one person succeeds, it gives hope to many others.”
This International Youth Day, Dishatana's story is a reminder that when young refugees are supported to pursue their ambitions, they become leaders, mentors and changemakers, changing not only their own futures but also the communities around them.
