Since birth, I have faced taunts and pitiful looks from people around me. They would often try to emphasize my disability by saying that nobody would even want to marry me without legs. I was very young when polio struck me. It was painful to be slow compared to another child in school and college. But eventually, I accepted my disability as a part of my life.
A turning point for me came in 2010 when I was coming back from the office on my modified scooter one day at around 10.30 pm and met with an accident. My femur was fractured in three areas. I was on bed rest for many months, and after a point, it got to me. While there are several trainers for ‘normal’ people, there are hardly any for people like us who are disabled. They are scared of making us do very strenuous workouts, fearing that it will worsen the disability.
My sister says that there were times when she could not sleep, thinking if I will ever be able to walk. I underwent nearly 12 surgeries and today I can run marathons as well. I may not be able to run as fast as everyone else, but I never stop. It was challenging for me to walk even 50 steps with a bodyweight of 80 kg. Today, I volunteer to work with ‘normal’ people because I want to challenge myself to the maximum. I write down a small goal for myself every year and work towards achieving that because you must plan things to achieve anything in life. I run marathons, not to prove my abilities to anyone, but to myself. I have met Sachin Tendulkar, Milind Soman and other celebs.
Today, I firmly believe that disabilities exist only in our minds and not in our bodies. The day others like me start believing in themselves, their dreams and their abilities will make this world a better place.
If you too have an inspiring story to tell the world, send us your story at mystory@thelogicalindian.com
