“Give Me Any Task; I Am Capable Of Doing All Of Them!” – #WATWB

We take our hands and legs for granted. They are a comfortable part of our life. They perform their duties whenever we demand something from them. But suppose for some reason they refused or worse still they are no longer there? I just shudder to think of how terrible life would then be. 

Today in this We Are The World post I am going to introduce you to a man who has overcome just this disability.  His name is Raja Mahendra Pratap. Pratap is from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. When he was a child of five one of his friends threw him a challenge that he could not hold an Iron rod into an open electric wire. Pratap took courage and held an Iron rod into a high voltage electric wire. When he took up this challenge with childlike innocence and courage Pratap probably did not realize that this act was going to turn life into a challenge for him.

The electricity surged through his body and his hands and legs had to be amputated. Until his sixteenth year, Pratap never moved out of his house. He could not attend school. A doctor would give him treatment at home. Gradually he learned to walk. His three sisters stood by him. He studied their books and educated himself. He cleared his tenth and twelfth grades without attending school. He stepped out of his house, finally.

He cleared his B. Com and completed his finance and administration course from Osmania University. He got a scholarship from the Delhi based, “National Center for Promotion of Employment For Disabled People.” Today he gives scholarships to disabled students himself. Getting a job was a Herculean task. He got several interview calls, but after taking a look at him most employers refused to hire him as they could not believe that a man like him was capable of carrying out his duties in a regular office.

Finally, he landed a job as assistant manager at the National Housing Bank, Delhi. Currently, he works as Finance and Accounts officer in ONGC Ahmedabad. His colleagues at the office are full of admiration for him. Pratap is a very simple man who does not believe in things like celebrating birthdays. He lives in the quarters provided to him by the organization. He does all his work like washing clothes or cooking a snack by himself.  He has represented India at the “World Disabled Forum” held in China and Japan. 

Well, my fingers are beginning to ache as I have typed this entire post in one go. I just wonder if I would have had the courage and tenacity to fight the way Pratap has if I had found myself in a similar situation. I would like to answer in the affirmative, but somehow I don’t think I would have had the willpower and the courage required. To read more about this amazing man click on the link below.