An old wise man once said..."With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility".
Here power does not refer to any kind of supernatural power or superhuman strength; rather it’s the power to do greater good, power to work for the well-being of mankind, power to bring some action-oriented changes, that are in accordance with the welfare of the society.
But at the same time, the meaning for the word 'responsibility' remains the same: To serve Humanity.
This realization of ‘greater responsibility’ happened to me on the breezy cold night of 14.02.2019 (Chances of getting such ‘realizations’ are always higher, as compared to the possibility of getting yourself a valentine) when I took my first step of ‘independence’ (Well…sort of).
The first occasion was Empowering for Inclusive Summit 2019 at Delhi, a national level summit on new technologies in disabilities which was organized by National Association for Deaf in collaboration with Microsoft, where I represented CORD or Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development, an organization that helps with rural development throughout India and South Asia. It is also known for its extensive contribution in the disability sector.
It was an honor for me to represent CORD because I have been associated with it since I was a kid.
There were quite a few ‘Firsts’ this time….
It was the first time that I represented someone besides myself :-D
It was the first time that I went out of station all by myself without my parents.
It was the first time that I shared my hotel room with someone unknown (Now this Mr. Unknown is a very good friend of mine).
It was the first time that I set off to evaluate the length and breadth of Delhi roads and traffic with my new found friends.
It was the first time that I celebrated my birthday without my parents.
My first meeting with Ms. Nidhi Goyal, India's first visually impaired female comedian.
By the end of summit, my long- awaited dream of working for disability advocacy and be a change-maker also became a reality.
The second occasion was a Two Days Partner Meet on the issues of people with disabilities, RPWD Act 2016 and National Trust Act 1999 at CORD Training Centre Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh.
It was yet another learning experience for me, but with a difference, or to say a 3D difference.
Shocked right???
Well, it simply means that I gained experience in 3 different dimension viz :
Personal
Professional
Spiritual
Personally and professionally, there was a lot to learn about the issues of people with disabilities, the government initiatives taken towards well-being of this community and how the society is becoming not only sensitive but also inclusive for the specially-abled.
Talking about spirituality, staying at CORD premises itself feels like living a dream full of spiritual awakenings and contemplation of the conscious. It reinforces your faith in the ‘One’ while assisting in the attainment of ‘inner peace’.
The movie has just started gaining its momentum…..there’s lot more to come…..
So don’t go anywhere :)
Here are some memories from my 'Realization of a Greater Responsibility' :)
It is said: Everything in this World happens for a reason. Well my recent visit to Chennai is a perfect example of the same.
I got this chance to visit the Detroit of India by chance actually.
It was a breezy cold December evening, when suddenly a message popped up onto my social media account. And the first thought that came to my mind after reading that was: "Dreams seen with utmost determination and dedication do become a reality one day!"
This was the message for which I was waiting for with lots of anticipation and optimism. Although I did imagine myself being a part of such kind of thing, but to be very honest, I didn't see it coming this early!
The incident also strengthened my faith in one more thing , which is : The famous Law of Attraction from the movie 'The Secret' do really work !
Anyway, coming back to the message...the message was from Mrs Shalini Visakan the brain behind Suvastra Designs, a fashion designing venture that designs clothes for the specially-abled people keeping in view their specific clothing needs and requirements. It was my dream to work with her someday, and when the opportunity came, I could hardly believe my luck! I was getting the opportunity to do a ramp walk for her and that's also in a combined event for Guinness book of World Record and Unique World Records.
I told you na: "I NEVER SAW THAT ONE COMING"....:)
So the day finally came. At the venue, I was like this little curious kid who has just stepped out from his homely environment into the outer world...full of inquisitiveness and that urge to know more, accompanied by the typical nervous mind which is afraid of missing something or the other in its process of exploring each and every bit of the place.
There were some 350+ fashion designers from across the India who participated in the event to make the world record for the longest fashion show of the world a reality, with Suvastra Designs being one of them.
I met some wonderful people along with some great souls. There were also other specially- abled models like me who fired up stage with their ramp walk on wheelchairs.
.
Amazing right....?
By the way I too tried to ignite a few sparks while walking with my elbow crutches..:D
During the show, before we made it to the ramp, Shalini ma'am acted like a mother , who ensured that each of her children (we models) is comfortable in every possible way, motivating us the whole time to rock the stage no matter what.
I enjoyed and lived every second of it (even the slight delay) .
The audience present had lost their interest in the program due to the delay as they were hardly paying any attention onto the stage when other models were trying their level best to impress the spectators , even after being exhausted themselves , all due to that long wait...but when we made our grand entry, every single person sitting there suddenly got charged up. The hooting....the cheering started ....lots of applauding was there....a once in a lifetime moment. We even got a standing ovation from the crowd, when we finished.
One doesn't get these kind of moments every day , so enjoy your life to fullest and leave the rest to the Best...the Almighty !
On our second day we went Shri Aurobindo ashram in Pondicherry. You can feel the presence of Maharishi Aurobindo and 'THE MOTHER ' in every nook and corner of the premises. One can do an eye to eye interaction with Shri Aurobindo and Mother in the photo gallery of the ashram. Almost every portrait present there seems to be watching over you and pouring the divine blessings at the same time.
The place where Shri Aurobindo took 'Samadhi '(his resting place) has a divine aura around it .Just by being there, it feels as if peace is penetrating in your body and getting straight into your soul. Such a kind of experience can just be felt and not described.
On our last day we did some shopping in the morning. In the evening we celebrated our Christmas with two of my best brotherly buddies and their loving families. They are also specially-abled champions like me. We had lots of fun moments, a few leg-pulling sessions, complimented by a charismatic coffee, the yummiest gajar ka halwa I have ever tasted and some fritters made from banana flowers.
I had the best time of life during this trip . It has changed me in many ways , which the world will witness in coming time !
How would you explain the experience when memories from your childhood suddenly do a merry- go- round in front of your eyes after seeing the school report card of your very first class?
I started going to school when I was 4. I still remember, our school at that time , didn't have a nursery class. So I started my academic journey straight from the 2nd gear instead of 1st i.e kindergarten ( in India the school classes usually starts from nursery,KG and first). This led me to always being the youngest student of my class during school time.
After reading all those remarks given by my favorite class teacher , I feel like I have come a long way since my kindergarten days.
The boy who only knew the alphabets from A to R( You can read the remarks for more details), is now using this 'R' to 'Redefine' his life with all new possibilities and opportunities.
The boy who only knew counting from 1 to 15, is now making every second of his life count to get the best out of it.
So never consider your present life state as your ultimate, because life is just like the finger-snap of Thanos (from Avengers Infinity War), you can always reverse the effect of the consequences at your own WILL ;)
Here's my report card for your kind consideration... :)
"Never give up on love if that is what is in your heart"
-Nick Vujicic
Being in relationship is one thing, and to make it work with success is another. This statement is especially true in the case of people with disabilities, as they usually have a hard time. finding an equilibrium among both these aspects .
But organisation like Inclov act as a 'walking aid' for the specially- abled, assisting them on the road of love by providing them with the right kind of soulmate at the right time.
Inclov is the world’s first matchmaking app designed for people with disabilities and health disorders to find a life partner of their choice. It provides people with disabilities a platform to meet new people, make friends, find love, form new connections. Inclov is fully accessible to everyone including people with visual impairment and matches people on the basis of medical condition, cure availability, level of independence and lifestyle choices.
Recently I attended one of the most popular meet-up event of Inclove known as ' Inclov Social Spaces' in Chandigarh. Such meet-up event invites specially-abled from all around the city to come together at one common place to meet and greet each other, have fun and maybe find that special someone for yourself. These events take place at a location, fully accessible for the specially abled.
Here are some pictures of the event :
So Did I Find the love of my Life????
Naaaaah!!!!!!
I am already in so much love with the goals of my life that I can't think of any other love right now :)
According to me, love has many facets. It is more than just meeting of two soulmates, or finding the right kind of life partner.
Love is like a multiple choice questionnaire. You can choose from an array of options. From devotion, passion, compassion, to an urge to do something in your life. The list is endless and so is love....
No matter what option (or options) you choose, you are always choosing love in one form or the other. Because at the end of the day, love in something eternal and beyond boundaries.
Two occasions, One uniting sport & one fighting spirit........
NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR CRICKET LEAGUE MATCH SERIES -2018
Had the privilege to meet and watch these Amazingly talented and extremely courageous players of Punjab ,Chhattisgarh and Gujarat Wheelchair cricket teams respectively during a tournament. I bet one can have more fun and feel proud at the same time watching them rather than seeing and supporting all those Kohlis and Sharmas.
A glimpse of their warrior spirit
Louis Braille Day 2018
National Association for Blind(NAB) celebrated Louis Braille Day by organizing a special program dedicated to the visually impaired people. Apart from various cultural activities, events and competition, it also held a T-20 cricket match between visually impaired teams. Upon watching them,nobody can say that they are watching some different kind of cricket, You get the same feel and enthusiasm throughout the match. A special kind of sounding ball is used during the play which makes noise whenever it moves, enabling a player to sense the direction of the same while the game is in progress
With cricket team of visually impaired
Matching up-to the spirits and passion of these players cum warriors is a task that many cannot master.... These two incidents aptly shows that:
Why nothing is Impossible
&
Why specially-abled in India are called 'Divyaang'
PS. The word 'Divaang' means someone with superhuman capabilities.
Life is like a Video Game. In a video game, you get bonus XP (experience) either upon completing a level successfully or performing well while the game is still in progress. Its the same case with Life, you get such XPs from time to time as you progress.
I got mine recently on 13.12.2017, when I became a member of Chandigarh Management Association or CMA. And that also on its 51st Foundation Day. (what a coincidence na... !)
CMA is an apex body of professional management, working closely with industry, Government, academia,and students to further the cause of management professions in and around Chandigarh.
I also got the opportunity to meet and receive my membership certificate from Mr. Christopher Gibbins, Consul General of Canada. I also had the chance to meet some of the biggest names in Professional Management and Technological Development industries
Well it feels great when, the prefix before your name changes from 'Master Chaitanya' to 'Mr. Chaitanya'.
