As I sat down to chronicle my life’s adventures, I wondered from which point I should narrate it. Do I jump right in and do a flashback as required? But that would have involved going in and out of different perspectives and so I decided against it. I wanted to keep my narration as simple as possible. And then it hit me to start at the beginning and go from there, recalling every major incident and finally ending my narration in the present.
I was born in a metropolitan family from Hyderabad. I was provided access to the best education and facilities which people generally take for granted. You’d be wondering what the differential factor in my story is – there’re a few important ones. I was born prematurely, before term, and I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy soon afterwards. My family is multicultural – it is a melting pot of languages, traditions and experiences. Growing up in such an environment was overwhelming, sure; looking back at it now, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Everyone in the family accepted me with open arms and chipped in raising me. This meant that as I was spending time with the family, over time I was exposed to multiple languages and personalities. My house was filled with troves of books to read. I can proudly attribute my piqued interest in the languages and writing to my family.
My family members were one of my first teachers, both literally and figuratively speaking, and their teachings formed the foundation of my character.
For a child who was crawling on all fours, literally, till the age of eight – I had to be carried on the shoulders of my dear uncle from his scooter to my seat at school – I have come a long way to using crutches and even riding my own modified bike. I owe all of this to my parents, their sacrifices and to the host of aunts and uncles who chipped in during my upbringing and continue to do so even after all this time.
At this juncture I’d like to pay my gratitude to god, for giving me such a supportive family. I know life is made up of incidents that happen based on our free will, but there are just some things that are the work of a higher power.
As I grew older, my schools helped in building me up. In the early 1990s, Montessori-style schooling was quite unheard of in these parts. I don’t recall the exact sequence of events that lead to my admission in the Lumbini Montessori House of Children, but I am quite proud to be an alumnus of the esteemed school.
At Lumbini, under Montessori principles, children were made to be responsible for their actions; they were taught to be self-reliant. Both these ‘virtues’ formed the foundation of an independent personality, someone who doesn’t look for support if one feels that it is not required. We were taught the core values of honesty, gratitude, earnestness and optimism.
From Lumbini, I was transferred to Chaitanya Vidyalaya, and boy, was it a different experience. But the teachers there weren’t different from the ones I had known up till then. The new teachers instilled a sense of independence and confidence in me as I transitioned through my adolescence. Each of them was very accommodating to my needs and yet unrelenting when it came to the rules.
All these educators make it hard for me, as an alumnus, to forget the legacies that have contributed in shaping me, during my formative years – and for that I shall be ever in debt. They have been vital in creating a solid foundation for a person who could mature in a way where I can now acknowledge the forces that built me, accept the pitfalls and drawbacks which prevent my advancements, and not let my confidence down for long – I always seems to bounce back, with a vengeance.
Graduating from school and progressing into undergraduate college was not an easy affair. I underwent three surgeries during my school years and they impacted me in more ways than one. I became more or less mobile, which led to my becoming independent, if only partially. The credit goes to both my parents, especially my mother, who relentlessly pursued my cause and took me to various physiotherapists for over a decade, after which my dad took charge. My mother gave up a lucrative career and my parents put all their efforts into making me independent – it paid off after a long and arduous struggle lasting almost two decades. After graduating with a Bachelors’ in Computer Science and Engineering,
I was able to head to the United States in 2012 to pursue my Master’s in Computer Science.
By moving to the U.S., I was able to accomplish two dreams if not more. I was able to pursue my higher education by obtaining not just one Master’s but two – one in Computer Science and another in IT Management. The second dream was of living by myself.
Due to the fact that I secured a job in a State different from where I was living, I had to move to an entirely new place and faced the choice of staying with random people while being employed. I chose to stay alone so I could do things my way. Yes, the cost of living independently was high, but the rewards were worth it – I was relaxed because I could have my own routine and didn’t have to deal with any random roommate/housemate drama which all my friends were going/ had gone through when they chose to stay in a shared accommodation with a bunch of people.
My American dream was based on the fact that I was employed. But that dream was short-lived. My employment was based on a visa and when the visa expired I had to return home. The exact reason for my being unable to secure a work visa is difficult to pin down but looking back, it was a good thing considering the subsequent political scenario in the U.S.
I returned to Hyderabad after five long years with two Masters’ degrees under my belt and America-based work experience. It has been six months and more of job-hunting with varying levels of success. My family didn’t want me to relocate from Hyderabad for a job because I had returned after such a long time. I was finally able to convince them to allow me to try for jobs in Bengaluru. I was short-listed for a job at a multinational company in early February but the hiring was halted due to a change in business decisions. Only recently have things been looking up and I was able to apply for an internship programme in Hyderabad, and a company approached me for an interview. I look forward to proving my skills and mettle and coming back strong.
My aim in chronicling my achievements both in my physical and educational fields is so people who are similarly differently abled can take heart and work towards their own betterment. Society too should pitch in in whatever way it can, instead
of expressing “thoughts and prayers”. What is needed is support and empathy for the differently abled; not pity and sympathy.
pdcthyd@gmail.com
