Meet the artist who dreams of designing a Porsche for differently abled people

Living with cerebral palsy – a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture – has presented numerous challenges to 21-year-old Krithin Paul Pereira. Still, thanks to an indomitable spirit and strong family support, he hasn’t let that stop him from pursuing his dreams.

“From a young age, Krithin has dreamed of being behind the wheel of a beautiful sports car, and his obsession with cars eventually led him to put pen to paper and draw his dream cars,” said his mother, Dr Ashita Pereira.

Beautiful design and innovative technology fire up Krithin’s imagination. Watching videos of these sports cars speeding along tight, twisty roads and the sound of their sporty exhaust notes excite him even further.

It was, however, a visit to the Porsche showroom at the age of 16 with his family in Kuala Lumpur, where he lives, that changed everything. Being able to see and touch the actual cars he had been looking at for so long helped to cement his love for sports cars and the brand. 

REALISING HIS ARTISTIC DREAMS

According to Dr Pereira, Krithin was greatly enamoured by the Porsche story – that of company founder Ferry Porsche deciding to build his own car because he couldn’t find the car he had been dreaming of, Krithin was inspired to create many beautiful drawings of Porsche models both old and new.

As his fascination grew, so did his artistic aspirations and ambitions.

His passion for cars has even inspired him to visit the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany in 2018.

Krithin has achieved several milestones in his art career to date, including creating a live painting of a Porsche car in collaboration with the brand. In 2021, his family self-published an illustrated book about his love for Porsche.

TACKLING HIS CHALLENGES HEAD ON

Pursuing his passion, however, has not been without its fair set of challenges.

“Krithin's condition does challenge his mobility skills, but activities like intensive physical therapy, swimming, horse riding and robotics have helped his hands become nimbler and more flexible in pursuing his art,” said Dr Pereira.

Despite his limitations, Krithin continues to push boundaries and dream big.

He is currently enrolled in the automotive course at Young Aces Technical College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is also pursuing a Diploma programme with the International Motor Industry, UK (IMI) and hopes to eventually study automotive design and engineering.

Krithin looks forward to designing a luxury electric sports car for differently abled people one day.

“From the age of 13, Krithin has always dreamed of working for Porsche. Imagination is what keeps his dreams alive, and he dreams of building a car that would be comfortable for differently abled people to move around in, like everyone else,” said Dr Pereira.

While this would have seemed like a pipe dream just several years ago, the autonomous building blocks that could make such a vehicle a reality are already in place.

“According to Krithin, the steering wheel would be voice-activated to move according to the driver’s needs. Voice activation, auto-robotic measures and artificial intelligence, along with modified interiors, would be the main features of the car,” she explained.

A SPORTS CAR WITH A DIFFERENCE

Today, the groundbreaking technology and iconic design of the fully electric Porsche Taycan makes it Krithin’s favourite Porsche model. Krithin’s dream of one day sitting at the helm of a sports car designed by him for differently abled people continues to drive him.

“Krithin feels and believes that everyone is equal; he says that he can do whatever others can do. The opportunities he has been given allow him to dream bigger and keep him fully driven towards his goal. And with the right support and assistance, he continues to push himself to greater heights,” said Dr Pereira.

“With a diverse and inclusive environment, he feels he is in the same race as others, each chasing their dream. By perfecting his skills alongside his passion for Porsche, Krithin believes that his dream will come true one day and inspire everyone around him,” she added.

Krithin has overcome tremendous challenges to follow his dreams and create his own narrative. His story is part of Porsche Asia Pacific’s Dreamers. On. campaign, which highlights ordinary people who have overcome extraordinary odds to blaze their own unique paths.

The campaign is rooted in the pioneering spirit of the brand’s founder, Ferry Porsche, and how he brought the vision of his dream car to life. Anchored on the brand purpose, “Driven by Dreams”, the campaign explores the topic of dreams through inspiring and educational stories of the past and present.

Find out how Porsche continues to inspire others to dream big, push boundaries and never back down.