Srikanth Bolla: An eye opener journey of the visually impaired person

 
✪ “I am not helpless, I don't need your mercy, I want equal treatment"
✪ 2% people don't have the eyesight, but 98% don't have the vision
✪ The boy being visually impaired, the father almost buried him
✪ Meeting with the scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and his help
✪ A teacher showing the way to realize potential
✪ First visually impaired Indian to learn science at the degree level after fighting with the system
✪ Higher education in the U.S.A. and then a businessman providing 80% jobs to the differently abled
✪ Courage to refuse a prestigious award "from the special category"
✪ Know us not for our disability, but for our abilities!

Hello. Yesterday saw recently released Rajkumar Rao starring "Srikanth" movie. Father, being a fan of Krishnammachari Srikanth, names his boy after him. But when he realizes that the boy is visually impaired, then feeling that the is future is dark, the same father decides to bury the boy! But his destiny had different ideas. The visually impaired boy born in a tribal region of Andhra Pradesh in 1991! The parents illiterate. Srikanth was brought up with other children in the village. He also went to the village school for some time. But he had to endure the discrimination done with visually impaired persons and lack of respect for his talent. Even if we just dare to try not to use our eyes for mere five minutes while doing our routine things, we would feel shattered. Even when we know that we have eyes, we cannot bear the darkness for just five minutes. His struggles were much more. Initially Srikanth had to strive through this. But the destiny had planned something different.

Some persons informed them about a special school in Hyderabad for the visually impaired. As education and staying there was free, his father agreed. There he got much needed help- schooling in the braille, useful stick for the visually impaired, company of other similar students and a very capable teacher to guide him on his path. He started his learning in the braille. In one programme in 2006, when Srikanth was in Standard IX, he met the then President and the scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He clearly told his objective, "I wish to become the first visually impaired President of India." Later on Dr. Abdul Kalam kept meeting him. He got 86% marks in the tenth Standard. But during his speech he revealed corruption in the school and as a result, he was thrown out of the school, even without his key- asset, the stick. Srikanth finding his way on a highway! The moment when his father wished to bury him and this moment when even when he is on the road, he is astray- these two scenes shake us.

Then his teacher Devika comes to his help. She takes him home and looks after him. As he is thrown out of his school, she helps him get an admission in a normal school. She helps him with voice notes of the books. Later on he secures 98% in HSC. He strongly wishes to go to Science stream, but any college in India did not allow a visually impaired student to enroll for Science. His mentor Devika decides to seek a Court's intervention. After six months, the Court gives verdict in their favour and then finally he gets admission into Science stream. With giant leaps of education, self- reliance and vision, he marches ahead. He also gets selected for the visually impaired cricket team for India.

But then again the question of further education comes. Even after excellent marks, he cannot get admission in science stream in India. Because there are rules for higher education and they are rules! But then his mentor Devika realizes that he can get admission in the U.S.A. universities and there he can even complete engineering or management in the braille. She tries for this. He undergoes some online interviews and finally Massachusetts Institute of Technology- M.I.T. gives him admission. Considering his talent, persistence and preparedness, he gets a scholarship. One Indian company also pays for his journey there. There he becomes the first visually impaired student from abroad. But with this, India does miss a flamboyant cricketer named Srikanth!

This inspirational true story really stops our breath! What an eye opener! While getting his further education in the M.I.T., in the U.S.A., he can live as he wish, he can go anywhere, do what he likes, can swim, run, travel as a normal person without any discrimination. He even succeeds in baseball! With the help from software such as JAWS, he learns to work on a computer. The teacher Devika wishes him to return to India. But he does not agree. Because he feels in India, his capacities and merits would not be valued, rather his limitations only would be highlighted (He is blind, give him some alms). But his girlfriend Swati tells him, "There are others also who are like you. You have reached your path, but what about them? You can give opportunities to them, you can create the way." Then even after getting education in the U.S.A. and living a respectful life, he returns to India!

Remaining part of the movie is the confined statement, "I am not helpless. I don't need your mercy. I want equal treatment." With the help from his teacher Devika, initially he starts a computer institute on her terrace. He teaches computer knowledge to the visually impaired students. They learn it, but they remain unemployed. People don't give them jobs, only give sympathy. Then he decides to create jobs and opportunities for such differently- abled on his own. For this, he gets a 25- lac assistance from Dr. Abdul Kalam. He get many who give sympathy, but none who treats him as a partner. Later on an investor, Ravi agrees to invest in his company. Soon Ravi becomes his guide and elder brother. Swati also stays with him. People start recognizing him and other visually impaired treat him like a God. For some time, he gets carried away by this. Some political persons also seek to make his limitation their power. They try to manipulate his being visually impaired for their votes. But then his mentor Devika confronts him, ensure that he does not get astray. Srikanth also refuses to accept such pitiable condition. Later on he becomes successful in his company, overcomes many hurdles. He also gets help from many.

Thus, this movie and the true story is also a story of a Guru and her disciple. Strong urge to learn, to strive and courage to pave the way out of darkness and guidance by Guru and others in many ways. How a true Guru coaches and accompanies through the thick and the thin, how she empowers the shaking disciple- it is worth seeing. It is a rather pleasant shock to see such movie being produced in India!

At the end of the movie, Srikanth is given a prestigious award as the industrialist. There also this Srikanth shows his flamboyant batting. Even disability can be regarded with such playfulness! “What blunder we people have done that you say, is this fellow gone blind in his love? We can only see dreams, it is you who can actually see. We don’t need alms, we need opportunities.” He later on adds that he cannot accept this award as it is given in the special category. I will strive harder, I will grow further and then will take this award one day as a normal person, he expresses. He says, we don’t need your mercy or your alms. You just can become our equal collaborators. You can get us involved with equal status. Seeing such a view in the era of making people dependent and down trodden and in the era of too much social service, this self reliant and proactive attitude just gives plenty of fresh air! The movie and his work of providing livelihood to differently abled on large scale is actually a manifesto-

"Know us not for our disabilities, but know us for our abilities!"

A salute to all such Gurus on the teacher’s day. Getting inspiration from such disciples and such Gurus, we too can come forward to accompany such different- abled persons.

- Niranjan Welankar, 5 September 2024.

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