Rupa profiles a differently abled child, who was brought up by his mother. This child, a young man found a life partner, like himself. They now have a talented, normal child. A Different Truths exclusive.

Nagesh is a talented, bright, caring, warm son, sibling, husband, father, Table Tennis player, who represented our country, tech-savvy and he is hearing impaired.

His story dates back 37 years when his young mother took him to Vellore Medical Hospital when he was a two-year-old. He was running fever and he had not been responding like other kids.

His story dates back 37 years when his young mother took him to Vellore Medical Hospital when he was a two-year-old. He was running fever and he had not been responding like other kids. The doctors predicted 50% success for an implant procedure, which was scary to the young parents, so did not go ahead with it. Child was put through speech therapy, lip reading and even went to regular school up to 7^th grade. He was a tall 6-footer and felt out of place amongst the group, so with mothers support he passed 10^th grade thanks to home-schooling. Nagesh attributes his success to the “angel from god – his tutor” and his persistent supportive working mother, who was battling her own personal abusive situations behind closed doors.

Lakshmi, his mother worked at the State Electricity Board, she paid to put son through computer learning in Bombay, where he stayed at “Ali Yavar Jung Institute for Hearing and Disabilities”. He was fascinated by Table Tennis, he put his heart into it and has come a long way with his skilled play. He won the state-level competitions and in 2017 went to Turkey representing India for Deaf Olympics. Though he did not win the game, his mother assured him, regardless of outcome this opportunity to represent the country is great. He has learnt about AIDS, he has taken classes all over India for the Deaf students.

He won the state-level competitions and in 2017 went to Turkey representing India for Deaf Olympics.

Sahitya is a daughter, wife, mother, artist, art teacher and a role model, who has hearing disability. She lost her mother in childhood as an eight-year-old. Her uncle and aunt took her into their hearts and home. She studied at Helen Keller School. Her aunty and uncle encouraged her in arts, which started with the initiative of her grandmother, and she joined the Fine Art College in Hyderabad.

Sahitya’s aunt met Nagesh during her endeavors as a volunteer to one of the offices she works with, and liked the bright, six-footer Nagesh

Sahitya’s aunt met Nagesh during her endeavors as a volunteer to one of the offices she works with, and liked the bright, six-footer Nagesh, who was communicating in sign language. She felt her niece and he would complement each other.

Both families met, youngsters liked each other and with the blessings of the family got married. From an affluent background and not raised a vegetarian, Sahitya adapted to vegetarianism by choice and refuses to eat non-vegetarian even outside.

After two years, they had a lovely daughter with no physical disabilities, who now sings Carnatic music

After two years, they had a lovely daughter with no physical disabilities, who now sings Carnatic music, does well at school, is a lively child adept at sign-language and all that a young tween does.

Daughter Shresta’s school teachers and principal were dazzled by the talent of Sahitya, who as a mother would help with class projects. They asked her to join as Art & Craft teacher, so she is now a fulltime paid teacher, who enjoys validation, teaching, work, and earns her pocket money. She draws on paper to show and explain to the students, she teaches use of colour papers to make sensational flowers, birds, animals, greeting cards, etc. With her daughter she can talk slowly in English and sometimes in sign language. She was felicitated by school Principal on school day. Her dream is to develop her art and craft and raise her daughter as the best girl at school and a successful self-reliant young woman of the world.

Nagesh is a proud dad of a capable, smart daughter he communicates with well.

Nagesh is a proud dad of a capable, smart daughter he communicates with well. He can mingle with normal persons by writing on a paper, sign language, lip reading and is good with skype or in-person situations. He takes care of bank transactions, shopping, and drives a Tata Nano, his mother gifted him, for last 10 years, within city limits and takes care of dropping, picking his child as well. He would like his earnings to sustain his family, which is supported by mother’s pension. He has worked in data entry and is currently pursuing a focused process to find a job overseas.

This story of two bright differently abled individuals Nagesh and Sahitya, who have created a beautiful family with a lovely daughter, began with Lakshmi, the hardworking mother, who had to learn how to support her child. She left no stone unturned and used all her resources, available time into supporting her child be a normal productive citizen. She continues to be mother to son, daughter in law and the granddaughter who live together and encourages self- reliance and is the backbone that holds this family unit together by sheer persistence, support, love, determination.

©Rupa Rao

Photos sourced by the author