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Transcending disability
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"Abroad, the disabled are getting better nutrition and training. If we are encouraged more, it will help us do much better and win laurels for Tamil Nadu."
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Venkatesan — confidence personified.
AT FIRST sight, he looks like anybody else, unmindful of his physical impairment. But one has to speak to him to know the fire of achievement transcending disability that is blazing within.
T. Venkatesan, a record clerk at the Indian Red Cross Society in Chennai, has brought laurels to his country, winning a bronze in the FESPIC Games held at Busan in Korea between October and November in 2002. He came third in javelin throw and was given Rs. 2 lakhs by the Prime Minister as a special award for the victory from the Government of India.
"All the encouragement for me to participate in the Games was given to me by Bharghavi Devendra, honorary secretary of the Indian Red Cross Society in Chennai," he recalls. Taking to throwing the javelin and other wheelchair sports since 1982, he was trained by M.S. Nagarajan of the YMCA. Going to the national games from 1984, he participated in the international games for the physically challenged - World Wheelchair Games - in 1996 in which 162 countries participated and achieved the 17th position. In the present games where he won the third place in javelin, 43 countries participated.
He began by practising clutch walking and then came to field events. He was also selected for power lifting.
He practises only when he gets time, at the Madras Medical College grounds. This achiever who has set his goal of excelling himself, feels that the State Government could do much more to promote sports for the disabled. "Abroad, the disabled are getting better nutrition and training. If we are encouraged more, it will help us do much better and win laurels for Tamil Nadu," he says.
He has sufficient reasons to feel so too. "There are many achievers from Tamil Nadu in long jump, triple jump, wheel chair games, table tennis and power lifting," he says.
He wants to participate in the Olympic Games and since he got the money for sports he would be using it for the same purpose.
"Red Cross is like a family for me and though I have had several opportunities outside, I have remained here as they have virtually brought me up," he says.
His wife, K.K. Anitha, who is visually impaired and working as a medical transcriptionist, is a great source of strength and support for his activities, adds Mr. Venkatesan
By Swahilya
Photo: N. Balaji
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
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