blessed because way back in 1989 when I
was in 11th standard I feel surprised
shocking yes even I was surprised when
the report card was handed over to me
all my classmates were cheering away
rejoicing in happiness but eyes opened
the report card and I saw written F
there well F means also but the reason
or the connotation is similar I just
sneaked out of the school went back to
my home cried wept for the whole day but
after some time at the back of my mind
there was a saying which started over
powering me going my in my mind and that
mother point is that what is so good in
failing I was not able to understand
that fact that I have lost one year I
lost my efforts I have lost money time
my parents are not happy I am going to
me I’ll be sitting with the junior class
I will be ridiculed by many so what is
supporting failing anyhow the time
passes by and memory fades I kept on
going to the school till one day when
the examinations were about to reach
again and I remember it was a winter
time because that’s the time and the
preparatory leave for the board he’s
being given to the kids and my previous
match was sitting at home preparing for
the board exam 12 but I was still coming
I’m coming to the school our school was
divided into two parts one side of the
building was a playground area the other
side was mango grove area in recess
while I was playing in the playground
area I don’t know what happened to me I
left the game walk across the school and
went towards the other side the mango
grove area there for a moment I realized
that perhaps the interval is over
because I couldn’t find anybody no not
even a single soul visible then suddenly
I saw two guys hiding in the cycle shed
I went up to them and I asked them hey
is the recess over they said no then I
said why I can’t see anybody he said
because somebody has fiddled a beehive a
big bee on one of the mango trees and
everybody is hiding saving their life I
said oh my god then suddenly I heard a
cry a small child crying I said who’s
this child then the young boy answered
me that actually she was roaming around
that part of the tree and all the bees
have clung to her she’s a small child a
second standard I said whatever what are
we doing then but before I could get the
answer my subconscious mind reacted and
I ran towards that girl child I took out
my sweater threw it over that girl child
picked it up and ran towards the school
by the time school was already aware
that I am coming towards them there was
a bad guy ready with the bike and they
took her to the hospital after a few
days I came to know that had I been laid
by five more minutes that girl child
they I got the answered that whatever
happens happens for good
perhaps Almighty wanted to be there at
that moment and it was necessary to pull
me back and fail me so that I am present
in the school instead of sitting at home
and preparing for the board exam am i
blessed or not what a big deal it had it
is that if I lose one ear in order to
save somebody’s life nothing big
well that incident not only not only
brought confidence in me not only
brought the faith in me but also
prepared me for something bigger which
was coming for me
1999 I was feeling I was again lucky to
be part of Indian army and deployed at
line of control when our neighbors were
having some nefarious eyes on our
motherland I was one of the lucky
officers who was deployed at line of
control defending one post which is
hardly 80 metres away from the enemy
when one day while in action a bomb
lands next to me it disintegrates into
millions of pieces
many of these shrapnel the bomb
particles are still kept inside me as a
souvenir on the neighborhood and many
pieces cut me through and I was lying
there as a pool of blood like a fountain
of blood the blood was oozing out of me
it took me two and a half hours to reach
to the nearest hospital but the blood
loss the time taken had taken the toll
and this time again I failed my heart
failed doctor received me as brought
dead however perhaps I was lucky that
there was a senior doctor that day
available in that small Hospital
anesthetic who was specialized in
reviving and he saved me he saved my
life but let me ask ripple in the
bargain of taking my life back I had
my leg I had to move my partial
intestine
but then I was already prepared at all
my teeth the very first thought which
struck me when doctors shared that in
order to save your life we need to
amputee an affected leg for something
even my he himself take pride in sharing
that and that was that this is a new
challenge for me let me see how amputees
live in this life perhaps one day my
actions will be able to not only make me
feel proud of that but also be
inspirational for many others well
imagine a young officer was just 25
years of old and only had only put in
one year of service I had seen a lot of
dreams but all those dreams got
shattered I failed in all those dreams
but still I feel am blessed why it took
me 10 years to understand my words and
there were many years who helped me for
that there were many who again ridiculed
me there were many who again looked down
me as a disabled there were many who
again doubted on my ability there were
many who again thought I am NOT good for
anything and I am thankful to all of
them because it is their rejection which
helped me to understand what actually I
am it is their relationship with me to
understand my ability then in 2009 I
chose to answer back all of them not by
talking but by my action and then in
2009 I became the first person in India
I don’t know why it had happened never
in the history of India to run on
artificial leg a half marathon 21
this is the same length which I am
marrying right now which is actually
meant for walking and not meant for
running by I took chance I said whatever
it may take I have to prove not others
but to first myself that I can take
control of my thoughts of my
disabilities and I can win over myself
in the bargain of course I answered all
of them it was it took me three r49
three our 49 minutes it was a constant
battle between me as I mentioned
yesterday also the good me and the bad
mean the battery was motivating me to
take short cut the bad me was asking me
adp what are you trying to prove as it
is you are badly injured why the hell
are you screwing yourself more the
battery was telling me take short cut
the battery was telling me take lift but
the good in me was telling me DP if you
do that will you be able to look into
your eyes again this is the moment this
is the time when you can prove yourself
that you are much more capable than your
disability which has been given to you
well it was actually a moment of
exhilaration because after 10 years I
had felt something worth I had done but
then the personal achievement is not so
great what made me feel more great that
the random thought some time back I had
thought when the amputation news was
shared with me was somehow coming alive
when in 2011 I started the after my
fourth half marathon which was my first
Blade Runner which gave me the Limca
second Limca record as a Blade Runner of
India I started with group the
challenging one people like me are known
as physically challenged but I said no
we are not physically challenged we are
perhaps a chosen by the Almighty
themself himself because he knows my
capability that despite shortening my
abilities in comparison to what has been
given to all I will be able to do many
such things which perhaps many
able-bodied are not able to do so we are
the attitude had enabled and reach up to
a place where last year a company came
forward and sponsored my team of
eighteen amputees to and for fly five
stars fear and a marathon so you think
am i blessed or not so next time next
time whenever you face any challenge in
your life don’t think that it is a
difficulty perhaps you are in process of
getting chosen for something big which
is coming life in fact I feel lucky are
those who are being thrown into the
biggest of challenges because the bigger
is a challenge
the better would be the outcome there
this year I have been chosen for my
fourth Limca record and this Limca
record is for the people of the air
award so I feel blessed that I got
injured I feel blessed that I lost my
leg because had I not got injured had I
not lost my leg and other injuries I
won’t have been standing here sharing
this story with you so feel less stay
happy and stay cheerful Jane [Applause]