Anish Mohan based in the South Indian state of Kerala had high hopes when he
attended an interview at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after
completing a diploma in instrumentation with top honors. However, fate had
something else in store for him. On his way back home from the interview, he
was run over by train losing his right hand and left leg.
Most people going through such setbacks lose all hope in life and become totally disappointed. Nothing could stop the dogged determination and will power of the 26 year old Anish who with the help of an artificial leg and hand managed to undertake the difficult Sabarimala Pilgirmage walking several kilometres and climbing 18 steps apart from driving a car on his own. He is now engaged in several activities for handicapped people or differently abled. He has urged the State Government to have separate parking lots space for differently abled people in public places.
Alexis Leon is now a familiar name for computer engineering students as most of them may have read atleast one of his best -selling books. After a brilliant academic career, Alexis got a good break in India’s premier IT company Tata Consultancy Services where he was blossoming as an ace software programmer when he was involved with a major road accident that crippled him for life. He was on his way to meet his fiancĂ© and mother who had come Chennai for shopping for the wedding which was hardly a few weeks away. He was confined to the wheel chair for life but doctors helped him move his hands all the while this accident couldn’t dent his indomitable spirit. Now living with his brother, Alexis Leon continues to write amazing books which are a delight to read for IT students and enthusiasts. According to Alexis Leon, if he hadn’t become a paraplegic such good books may not have seen the light of the day.
We have any number of examples of people who have fought courageously a handicap which could have crippled their ambition and hopes but decided to fight courageously with a never-say- die attitude.
Sudha Chandran, a dancer who lost her leg in a car accident continued to dance using the Jaipur foot (artificial leg) became a household name with the release of the film Mayuri featuring her in the lead role as the dancer. In the film, Mayuri’s lover leaves her on seeing her handicapped after an accident but thereafter returns once she becomes famous. But Mayuri rejects her lover keeping her self respect intact. The film produced by the legendary South Indian film maker Ramoji Rao went on to become a success at the box office and remade in to several other languages.
Most people going through such setbacks lose all hope in life and become totally disappointed. Nothing could stop the dogged determination and will power of the 26 year old Anish who with the help of an artificial leg and hand managed to undertake the difficult Sabarimala Pilgirmage walking several kilometres and climbing 18 steps apart from driving a car on his own. He is now engaged in several activities for handicapped people or differently abled. He has urged the State Government to have separate parking lots space for differently abled people in public places.
Alexis Leon is now a familiar name for computer engineering students as most of them may have read atleast one of his best -selling books. After a brilliant academic career, Alexis got a good break in India’s premier IT company Tata Consultancy Services where he was blossoming as an ace software programmer when he was involved with a major road accident that crippled him for life. He was on his way to meet his fiancĂ© and mother who had come Chennai for shopping for the wedding which was hardly a few weeks away. He was confined to the wheel chair for life but doctors helped him move his hands all the while this accident couldn’t dent his indomitable spirit. Now living with his brother, Alexis Leon continues to write amazing books which are a delight to read for IT students and enthusiasts. According to Alexis Leon, if he hadn’t become a paraplegic such good books may not have seen the light of the day.
We have any number of examples of people who have fought courageously a handicap which could have crippled their ambition and hopes but decided to fight courageously with a never-say- die attitude.
Sudha Chandran, a dancer who lost her leg in a car accident continued to dance using the Jaipur foot (artificial leg) became a household name with the release of the film Mayuri featuring her in the lead role as the dancer. In the film, Mayuri’s lover leaves her on seeing her handicapped after an accident but thereafter returns once she becomes famous. But Mayuri rejects her lover keeping her self respect intact. The film produced by the legendary South Indian film maker Ramoji Rao went on to become a success at the box office and remade in to several other languages.
In my childhood I was inspired by a former military employee
who lost a leg while on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Using crutches he learned
to walk with one feet and also climb on a bicycle and ride fast. It was a
delight to see Appu Pillai cruise along with other cyclists on busy roads and on steep roads he took the help of autorickshaw
drivers who allowed him to hold the side bar of the rickshaw to enable him to
overcome the steep road easier. He also started his own small shop selling
sweets, juices, biscuits and fruits.
Lessons to live by
When an unfortunate incident makes you differently disabled, not many people are able to overcome the adversities and get ahead in life. Most often they had decided not to remain idle so that they are not dependent on somebody else either physically or financially or as Alexis Leon said if he had confined himself to bed for life, his parents and brothers who loved him dearly would have become crippled at heart.
Secondly, technology has made amazing strides to make life easier for differentl y disabled. But it takes determination, enthusiasm and courage to make use of these innovations as they may not be easy to use in the beginning. In the case of artificial Jaipur foot, it requires months of practice and also the user needs to undergo lot of pain before it can be adjusted for their requirements.
The handicapped people themselves have been in the forefront of making policy changes to help these public user public services such as buses and trains. Now many public transport buses have special seats reserved for such people and has lowered the height of floors. In many public places and commercial establishments, convenient parking space is reserved for different disabled. Most often the same people who required it had to lobby for it to get the facility mandated by government.
In many countries, government establishments have special quotas for these talented people to jobs according to their skill and talent. If you look around, you can see healthy people giving lame excuses for not doing a job properly or blaming the government or others for not able to become an achiever. It is most often our mindset that determines our future not our disability.
There is a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in Mahabharatha on how to get ahead in tough times- ‘always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing’. According to Stephen Covey, only 10% of what happens is in our life is beyond our control – for eg. a bad behavior from someone, an accident, a setback in career or life, but the rest 90% is in our hands, how we respond or manage that determines things to come.
Lessons to live by
When an unfortunate incident makes you differently disabled, not many people are able to overcome the adversities and get ahead in life. Most often they had decided not to remain idle so that they are not dependent on somebody else either physically or financially or as Alexis Leon said if he had confined himself to bed for life, his parents and brothers who loved him dearly would have become crippled at heart.
Secondly, technology has made amazing strides to make life easier for differentl y disabled. But it takes determination, enthusiasm and courage to make use of these innovations as they may not be easy to use in the beginning. In the case of artificial Jaipur foot, it requires months of practice and also the user needs to undergo lot of pain before it can be adjusted for their requirements.
The handicapped people themselves have been in the forefront of making policy changes to help these public user public services such as buses and trains. Now many public transport buses have special seats reserved for such people and has lowered the height of floors. In many public places and commercial establishments, convenient parking space is reserved for different disabled. Most often the same people who required it had to lobby for it to get the facility mandated by government.
In many countries, government establishments have special quotas for these talented people to jobs according to their skill and talent. If you look around, you can see healthy people giving lame excuses for not doing a job properly or blaming the government or others for not able to become an achiever. It is most often our mindset that determines our future not our disability.
There is a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in Mahabharatha on how to get ahead in tough times- ‘always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing’. According to Stephen Covey, only 10% of what happens is in our life is beyond our control – for eg. a bad behavior from someone, an accident, a setback in career or life, but the rest 90% is in our hands, how we respond or manage that determines things to come.
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