Ramesh: travelling miles to read
It is easy to give up and walk back in the midst of an activity, that too for a person with a disability. But Ramesh, a visually challenged student at Pondicherry University, attributes his success to his disability. According to him, it was his disability that pushed him forward and helped him reach this far in life.
Though unable to see the world, he never thought of stepping back. Now, Ramesh is pursuing MA English in Pondicherry University (PU). He has used Braille system to read from Class I. Today, he travels every week from Pondicherry to Chennai, 165 km, to read Braille scripts. For Ramesh, the four-hour bus journey is not a tiresome activity, instead a joyful venture. “I travel the length and breadth of Chennai. It is the best place for me. There are many reading centres where people from different walks of life come in search of knowledge,” says Ramesh.
A brilliant student, he aspires to become a college lecturer. The government has been helping him with scholarships and much needed financial support for his studies. He completed his BA English from Vivekananda College, Mailapur. There he was facilitated with stay in a government hostel and a scholarship of Rs 5,000 per semester. At PU too he is provided with free food and accommodation and a scholarship of Rs 6,000 per semester. Despite all these facilities, Ramesh says, his journey till date has not been easy. “There were many hurdles on my path. During graduation, my hostel was quite far from the college. I had to walk for more than half an hour to reach the college.” However, at PU Ramesh is blessed with umpteen friends who all are in one mind in lending their helping hands to him. “Here I feel relaxed with all these friends around me”, says Ramesh. Ask him about his hobby, he will surprise you by saying ‘reading’- an unlikely answer from a visually challenged person. He likes reading literature, listening to radio, cricket commentary, etc. He is a great fan of Yuvraj Singh, whom he calls ‘Punjab Singh’. His parents are farmers, and his sister is in her final year of school. His brother, who recently got his impairment rectified, works at a bakery to fend for the family.
Despite all the difficulties that thwart his way, Ramesh seems determined in achieving his goals. He has cleared the Teachers Recruitment Board Exam recently. “I am aiming at achieving things step by step,” says a spirited Ramesh. When he utters these words one can see his face gleaming with confidence and sheer determination, which has helped him come this far in his career and life. Meeting Ramesh reminds ‘The Inquirer’ team of Vijeta and Muruganandan.
