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Where there is a will ...

SANGEETH KURIAN speaks to Syam Prasad, a differently abled student, who will soon earn a doctorate in economics

PHOTO: S. GOPAKUMAR

EQUAL FOOTING Syam Prasad feels people with disabilities should be treated like equals

Syam Prasad is jubilant. His academic success signifies his triumph over physical difficulties that would have bogged down many a person. His doctorate in economics from Centre for Development Studies (CDS) is another milestone for this 25-year-old youngster.

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was three months old, his parents, both schoolteachers, had fears about his academic progress. They hoped that their son would at least complete his 10th and find a small-time job to support himself.

Syam joined CDS after securing first rank in his post-graduation in economics from Kannur University.

This scholar was selected by the International Institute for Asian Studies, to present an abstract of his doctoral research at the 19th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies held at Leiden, Netherlands. Syam, however, cannot make it on account of visa problems.

His thesis on `Poverty among Elderly' is an extension of Syam's deep interest in aging. Syam says, "People are living longer. But only 10 to 12 per cent of senior citizens in Kerala draw pension, which accounts to nearly 25 per cent of Kerala's revenue. The State should give a certain amount as pension to every elderly person."

Is he weighed down by his disability?

"I know I cannot become a David Beckham or Michael Owen. I know my limitations. Every person has his distinct identity. I am happy being me," he says.

In the first years of life, Syam found it difficult to move around or hold objects. So till the age of six he was provided physiotherapy.

True grit

"However more than the physical aspect, we focussed on preparing him mentally to accept his disability, and lead a life without depending on others. We never isolated him . We also made it a point to enrol him in mainstream schools," says Syam's parents K. Usha. and A.P. Prabhakaran.

Thanks to his parents perseverance, Syam today is high on confidence and travels confidently between Thiruvananthapuram and Irrity, his home town, more than 500 km away.

Says S. Irudaya Rajan, fellow, CDS, under whose guidance Syam is currently working for his doctorate, "For me he is just like any other student." Syam feels that society should adopt this attitude .

"Differently abled people should be treated like any other person. This alone will infuse confidence in them. It is a crime to send disabled children to special schools as they will see only disabled people around them and will never come up in life. If I am successful today it is solely because I feel that I am no different from other students."

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