Rani, An Amputee Pursuing Mtech From IIT Bombay, Not Eligible For Job Because Of Her Disability

Imagine getting through a busy day without legs or hands. Picture a life without the ability to walk or to embrace those who love you. Even imagining this is difficult. There are thousands who are disabled and are going through life like champions. One such champion is Rani, a simple girl from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Rani lost her hands in a childhood accident when she was helping her parents in the fields. In 2001 she had gone to fetch water from a pumping set when she slipped, and both her hands were trapped in the machine. Her parents tried to give her best treatment. Doctors gave their best and experts from abroad were called to observe the case. The bones and veins of hands got destroyed, and there was no choice except to amputate both her hands. Rani’s father didn’t give up and consulted doctors in Jaipur, Mumbai and Pune. Unfortunately, there was no possible solution and eventually they had to amputate.

But Rani didn’t let this unfortunate circumstance dictate her life. Her relatives telling her father that she was a burden, made her stronger in her resolve to achieve her dreams.

Her father, a farmer, took a loan and funded her education. Rani’s mother encouraged her to start practice writing with her feet. Though initially difficult, she soon developed a habit of writing with her feet. She studied hard and qualified for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) and enrolled herself in IIT Mumbai to pursue MTech. She has qualified six times for PSUs (Public Sector Undertaking) and also she had interviewed for positions in NTPC, IOCL, NPCIL but due to her disability she has been told that she is not eligible, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar.

Her question is if she can study without hands and qualify for GATE, then why can’t she work? She wants to tell people that her disability is not at all a problem in comparison to her education and qualifications. Her parents have sacrificed a lot to fund her studies, and she does not want it to go in vain. The pain inflicted by society is more than the pain she felt when she lost her hands. She is disappointed by the lack of support from the industry.

It is possible that she was denied a job because the organisations thought it would be dangerous for her to be in the field, which could be due to lack of support for disabled personnel. But she should still be given an opportunity to try whether or not she can perform the tasks. She has already proven her mettle by earning a degree from the country’s premier institute. It is time for us as a society to create an inclusive environment. For her and all the other people with disabilities.