After losing both hands at the age of 12, this man rose above disability to accomplish his goals
Subojit Bhattacharya lost both his hands after being accidentally electrocuted when he was just 12-years-old. However, this did not stop him from chasing his dream. Today, he works as a graphic designer, and is all set to go on a biking expedition to Ladakh.
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This is an age-old adage that encourages people to turn unpleasant events into favorable ones. This is what 31-year-old Subojit Bhattacharya did.
Subojit lost both his hands after being accidentally electrocuted when he was young. However, this did not stop him from accomplishing his goals. He did not see this as a limitation, but worked his way around to fulfill his dreams. Today, he works as a graphic designer in a Bengaluru-based non-governmental organisation and is all set to go on a biking expedition to Ladakh.
Subojit Bhattacharya with his wife, Julie.
From completing his education through an open schooling platform and establishing his own design studio to even playing football at the district level, Subojit did it all. The journey was not easy. He had to steer clear of naysayers, find ways to support himself, and go the extra mile to build his career.
“There were a lot of lows in my life. At one point, I even suffered from depression. It was the drive to do something purposeful that enabled me to keep making progress,” Subojit Bhattacharya tells SocialStory.
Subojit’s salad days
When Subojit was 12-years-old, he happened to stay over at his sister’s house in Bengaluru for his summer vacation. Just while he was trying to get some coconuts off the tree using a sickle, a high-tension wire struck him. He was immediately taken to the hospital where the doctors insisted on him getting both his hands amputated.
“I woke up amidst stale gray walls and pale white bedspreads. I could not feel my arms. I simply lay there with layers of bandage wound around my upper body. When I realised that by forelimbs had been taken off, I whispered to the doctor to not tell my mother about the amputation. I was worried about how she would deal with the despair,” recollects Subojit.
Subojit participating in a marathon.
Subojit had to undergo multiple surgeries, and spent almost ten months at a hospital in Bengaluru. Subsequently, he went back to his hometown in Kolkata to recover. It took him six long years to overcome the emotional and psychological distress associated with the mishap. When all his peers were pursuing their grade XII, Subojit was completing grade VII at an open schooling institute called Charghat Milan Mandir in Vidyapith, West Bengal.
The turning point in his life occurred when he spotted a bunch of teenagers playing football near his house. He could not help but think about giving it a try.
“Though it seemed impossible for a person without arms to play a game like football, I did not want to give up without giving it a shot. So, I requested the boys to give me a chance to kick the ball. After a few bouts of disapproval, they agreed. Due to a complete lack of body balance, I fell down right at the beginning. I literally had to be carried home. Despite all that, I went back to the field the very next day. It is said that nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than oneself. I wanted to do just that,” notes Subojit.
Subojit with his colleagues at The Association of People with Disability.
The 31-year-old did not wish to live according to the boundaries set by the society. He desired to draw the lines himself and inspire others with disabilities to do the same. This led him to become a district level football player, complete his post graduate diploma in Computer Application from West Bengal University, and also become a self-taught graphic designer.
Out of the 2.68 crore differently abled people in India, a whopping 67.7 percent of them stood unemployed as per the 2011 Census. Subojit was one of them. He submitted his resume and application with multiple companies, but received no response.
Subojit receiving an award from the CEO of The Association of People with Disability (APD).
“Though inclusivity is seriously discussed in the corporate world today, the aspirations of many is taking a hit due to lack of support. I too was at the receiving end of this for months. I did not give up though. After waiting patiently, I got a call from The Association of People with Disability (APD) to be their graphic designer,” says Subojit.
An inspiration for many
It is very hard to imagine life without limbs. Even day-to-day activities, right from moving from one place to another and maintaining good health seems like a herculean task. It takes a lot of courage to cope with it.
Despite these struggles, Subojit has not only coped with it, but has figured a way to overcome it. He uses a prosthetic device for his arm called Avocado, which works like a wrist connector. Subojit uses this to pull off hard core tasks as well as the delicate chores, including graphic designing.
Subojit on his modified bike.
That is not all. Since travelling to work using public transport was proving to be extremely arduous, Subojit modified his moped in such a way that he could ride it with ease.
“I asked the mechanic to remove the handle of my bike and drill holes in the front so that I could get some grip to steer the vehicle. I also requested him to place accelerator and break near my foot. Now, I am able to get to work myself without depending on anyone,” Subojit says.
Subojit riding his bike around the city.
The 31-year-old is planning to go from Delhi to Ladakh covering 1,000 kilometers on bike this year.
“The motive behind undertaking an expedition like this is to give out a message to lakhs of other people like me that there are many ways in which they can improve their independence and quality of living,” he says.
(Edited by Megha Reddy)
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