Infy techie conquers her disability through sports

By siliconindia   |   Saturday, 28 November 2009, 17:36 IST   |    37 Comments
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Infy techie conquers her disability through sports
Bangalore: When M Manjula, strapped to a wheel-chair, swivels in her seat and hurls the javelin, the torsion causing the tendons in her neck to stand out, you begin to understand what the human spirit can achieve. Manjula was affected by polio as a child, but the 33-year-old refused to allow her wasted right leg to hamstring her ambitions. On Wednesday, it was in many ways a dream come true for Manjula, who works as an executive for Infosys: She made her international debut by being one of two women from Karnataka participating in the International Wheel-chair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Games being held in Bangalore. Though she could not bag a medal, the fact that she has competed against international stars has given her more confidence, reports Bangalore Mirror. Life has not been easy for this middle-class resident of Bangalore. In fact, when Manjula finished her BCom degree in 1997, she was clueless about the future and was facing a serious self-esteem crisis. "I wondered who would employ me and pondered upon the limited options I had with 85 percent disability," she said. But then, a year later, she bumped into Samarthanam, an NGO that counseled her and slowly drew her out of her depression. They introduced her to sport. "They taught me to throw the shot put, the javelin and the discus, and my journey began," she added. She would practice whenever and wherever she could and got serious about the sport only in 2003 when she participated in a national event for the disabled. "I became very serious. Initially my parents were not happy. They thought about my ailment and worried. But I went on and participated. It was during this time that I applied at Infosys and got a job," she revealed. "I used to work in all shifts just like normal people. But it was not easy for me. I kept pushing myself to build my stamina and that is why I can withstand immense stress today. After joining Infosys, I bought a two-wheeler and learned to ride it. This gave me a big boost to go to the stadium, to practice and meet people like me," Manjula said. Manjula is completely at home among the 160 participants. "They are all like me. They have disabilities which they have converted into opportunity. I am one of them and feel at home when I am with them," she quipped. Manjula's message to the world is pointed and unambiguous: "Fight obstacles, don't give up."

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