Amir Hussain Lone was eight year old when he lost his arms in an accident with a bandsaw when he visited his father’s sawmill to deliver lunch to his brother.
Today, at the age of 26, he is the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir state para-cricket team.
“I was taking some food for my brother who worked at my father’s sawmill. I used to play with the sawmill machine, but on this occasion both of my arms got entangled in the machine,” he told Mail Online. Ironically, the sawmill used to manufacture cricket bats.
Amir never let his misfortune come in the way of his dreams. Cricket has been his passion since childhood, and he worked extremely hard to make himself capable of playing. But the journey till here was not an easy one. Amir’s father had to sell his sawmill to arrange the money for his treatment, and the society started treating him like someone who would not be able to achieve anything in life. His treatment took three years and when he resumed school after that, his teachers told him to stay at home. This was when Amir started his journey of becoming self-reliant by selling walnuts to purchase books and by practising his sport. He holds the bat between his neck and shoulder and bowls with his toes.
“When I tried to play cricket for the first time after the accident, people used to make fun of me. Now they are very supportive,” he says.
He wants to play like Sachin Tendulkar one day. Watch Amir’s inspiring journey here:
Sparsh Shah, a 12-year-old singing prodigy who lives in the US, was born with almost 40 fractures. He has given more than 45 performances in just the last year-and-a-half. Read his inspirational story here.
Sparsh (aka Purhythm) has written 10 songs – “This Love Will Never Fade,” “There’s Always Tomorrow,” “Why’d You Have To Leave Me?”, “You Are My Heroes,” “Count on Me,” “A Little Bit of Respect,” “Turn Around,” “Birthday Wishes,” “You’re The One,” and “No One Knows.” He has composed the music for most of them too.
Listen to him pay homage to his favourite Eminem here:
Aren’t you still feeling that beat? Sparsh has been learning Hindustani classical music for the last seven-and-a-half years and American vocal music for the last three years.
Sparsh is multi-talented. He performs at community events and has appeared on local radio stations and television shows, besides hosting shows as an MC.
He has memorized 250 digits of Pi, can say the 12 longest words in the English dictionary in less than 18 seconds, and can speak in four different accents in English. He has written several poems, short stories, motivational/funny speeches (“I am Disabled”), etc., and acted in the developmental reading of a play called The Greatest Choice at the Crossroads theatre in New Jersey. He was able to spell a 45 letter word, “Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,” at the age of 6.
Hiren and Jigisha Shah migrated to the US some 14 years ago. In 2003, when Sparsh was born, they could never have imagined their little boy would touch millions of hearts soon.
Sparsh Shash (Purhythm)
His parents, however, could experience the joy of holding their baby only after six months of his birth – Sparsh had broken 35-40 bones while emerging from his mother’s womb.
Sparsh was born with an incurable disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
This condition makes his bones extremely fragile and brittle – even a hard handshake can break his bones. He cannot bear weight on his hands and legs, so he cannot walk or run like other normal kids. He has had more than 125 fractures in the first 12 years of his life already and the doctors cannot predict how many more are to come.
In April 2015, Sparsh participated in and won the prestigious talent competition Young Voice of NYC,and was honoured to be made the ‘Youth Ambassador’ for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He now supports the hospital in spreading awareness about the fight against pediatric cancer.
Sparsh has been a catalyst in helping raise over half a million dollars for various philanthropic organisations.
Sparsh, at the Chennai floods fund raising programme
Sparsh was also a member of the Watt NXT Robotics team that won at the state and regional levels in the US. He participated in the first World Robotics Championship in St. Louis, MO in 2015. Sparsh won the first prize in the speech competition about Dr.Ambedkar at the Indian Consulate in New York City in November 2015. Sparsh also participated won the Swardhara Singing Competition organized by Marathi Vishwa, New Jersey, in February 2016.
He always thanks his parents and grandparents for his success:
“I don’t see myself as disabled. I just dis the ‘dis’ from disabled. Most people with disability always keep thinking about their disability and that makes others think about it too. I want to be the courage of such people,” says Sparsh with a smile.
When Sparsh was just three years old, he started learning the keyboard and reading books. However, as his bones kept breaking, it was difficult for him to continue to learn the keyboard and he had to stop playing.
Watch him say hello to The Better India readers here. (Thank you Sparsh for this!)
Once, when he was three-and-a-half, his family was travelling in the car and his father switched on the radio. To his parents’ surprise, Sparsh remembered the song that was playing on the radio and started singing along. They thought that he perhaps knew the song because it was a well known one. But then, he sang the second, the third and even the fourth song that was played on the radio. When they asked Sparsh about this, he said his preschool bus driver played the same channel and that is how he had memorized all the songs. This was the beginning of the making of this gifted singer and musician.
“Dreams are not enough, Hard work is what turns them into reality! And so, he makes sure that he works hard enough to make his dreams come true,” says Jigisha Shah, Sparsh’s mother.
Sparsh started learning Indian classical music at the age of 6 and is a student of Pandit Jasraj Institute of Music (PJIM) since 2009. He also learns American vocal music.
“All we tell him is that no matter what situation you have in life, never limit yourself!. We believe that Sparsh is a miracle who has come to this world to do something extra special,” says Hiren Shah (Sparsh’s father)
A 7th grader, Sparsh is also excellent in his studies. He has a 5-year-old brother named Anuj who plays video games with him.
Sparsh with his family.
Sparsh has gone through multiple surgeries for his brittle bones. His parents help him write when he has fractures, or he uses voice to text technology to do his homework.
When asked how he deals with the pain, he says: “There is not much you can do about pain…isn’t it? Crying is just a natural response to pain but you need to smile. This is what my Papa taught me since I was small. He said that I should tell my bones to smile whenever there is a fracture. If I don’t smile at them, they won’t respond to me with a smile. And so, whenever there is an x-ray after a fracture, I look at my bones and say – Smile please bones.”
Sparsh loves rapping as he believes that rap makes even sad songs come alive; rapping keeps the spark going. This huge fan of Eminem also loves Bollywood songs. “Abhi mujh me kahi” by Sonu Nigam is his favourite Hindi song.
He met musician Neel a year-and-a-half ago, at a Karaoke competition. They sang together. Since then, Neel and Sparsh have been inseparable musical buddies and they have written a wonderful motivational duet: “Count On Me.”
Sparsh recently auditioned forAmerica’s Got Talent and is waiting for the results, which will be out by March 2016.
He won the first prize in Gaan Nipun Spardha, a prestigious singing competition organized by PJIM and was awarded a certificate of recognition by none other than the stalwart of Hindustani classical music, Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, on February 27, 2016.
Sparsh, with Pandit Jasraj
Despite all the challenges he has faced, Sparsh’s spirit is unbreakable. He aspires to sing in front of a billion people one day.
“I want to leave the marks of my footprints (aka wheelchair tracks ;)) in the sand of legacy so deep that not even a tsunami can erase them,” concludes Sparsh.
Join this miracle boy’s journey to fame and help him make his dream come true by sharing his latest sensational cover song: “Not Afraid” with all your friends and family members.
To listen to Sparsh’s magical music, log on and subscribe to his YouTube channel. You can also connect with Sparsh and keep updated on his progress by liking his Facebook page or following him on Twitter or Instagram .
The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 (Kazakh time). Kelly and Kornienko completed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov returned after spending six months on the station.
For Kinfolk Magazine’s recent Adrenaline Issue, photographer Aaron Tilley and Director Kyle Bean were asked to recreate that awful moment when something terrible is just about to happen.
The project emphasizes the curious relationship between what the mind perceives and how the body reacts. The anticipation causes the body to release adrenaline, even if nothing actually happens, and it is believed that this reaction is closely connected to the fight-or-flight response that was so essential for the survival of our early ancestors.
Take a look below to see what they came up with. The pictures are designed to invoke a sense of anxiety and discomfort as we anticipate the sometimes disastrous event that’s just about to occur. Feeling slightly uncomfortable yet?
Kind-hearted doctors run medical institutions here and there, serve the diseased and cure the afflicted. Similarly if we had ashrams here and there of holy personages who were experts in the treatment and cure of the ‘birth-and-death disease’, then people could be cured of the afflictions of ignorance, untruth, immorality, and self-aggrandisement. Ignorance produces wickedness, and it can be cured only by the medicine of the knowledge of Brahman(Brahma-jnana), with supplementary doses of the drugs like peacefulness, fortitude, self-control (santhi, sama, dama), etc. Instead, the ‘great men’ of today, for the sake of name and fame, give those who approach them the medicines they demand and the drugs their patients relish! The so-called ‘great’, on account of their weakness and foolishness, fall into perdition even before they taste the spiritual bliss themselves! The holy essence has to be experienced and realised. One’s selfish needs have to be sacrificed.
It is said, “The proper study of mankind is man”. You should cultivate the qualities of kindness and compassion. Only then does one deserve the title of human. You are not only people, but humanity! Today people use the word mankind or humanity without understanding its real meaning. One can rise to the level of the divine only if you develop virtues. God is not somewhere else, you are God. You are not different from God if you have a pure heart. God is the eternal charioteer, who is always present in your heart. He is only a charioteer and not the owner; you are the owner. Lord Krishna is called Parthasarathi because He became the charioteer (Sarathi) of Arjuna (Partha).Similarly, when you develop purity of heart and sacred feelings, God will be your charioteer and take you on the right path. Therefore choose God as your charioteer and lead an ideal life.
Janarthanan is a 24-year-old mouth artist. He lost both his hands in a devastating accident at the age of eight and has been facing each day like a challenge since then. He has won more than 150 prizes in painting competitions since 2003, including two national awards. This is his story of determination and grit, narrated with his beautiful art.
“People always feel that they can’t do something or the other because they concentrate on a lot of negativity. But remember how we used to play many different games as children? We would focus on something – a puzzle to solve or a game to finish, and be completely positive that we will be able to achieve success. If we could think that way as kids, why can’t we have the same attitude as adults? One just has to feel positive,” says Janarthanan, a young man who lost both his hands and a leg after an accident when he was 8 years old.
Today, this Chennai resident is an accomplished mouth painter and has won over 150 prizes at different painting competitions
Janarthanan
It was March 4, 2000 – just another day for young Janarthanan who returned home after school and went to the terrace to play with his friends.
“I found a seven feet long iron rod on the terrace and started playing with it. I was spinning it while standing near the edge of the terrace and didn’t notice a high tension electric line adjacent to the building. The rod suddenly came in contact with the line,” recounts Janarthanan.
He fainted due to the electric shock and the nearest transformer burst into flames. Hearing the noise, his parents and neighbours rushed to the spot to find the little boy burnt and unconscious. He was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital but the doctors there had never seen such a case. Janarthanan had suffered 99% burns and they didn’t know how to treat him. So his father was advised to take him to the Government Stanley Hospital. A group of 13 doctors, headed by a child specialist named Dr. Seeniraj, treated Janarthanan.
As the injuries were very deep, they had to amputate his right hand up to his shoulders, left hand up to the elbow, his left leg till the knee, and the toes of his right foot.
His family
“I was cured after eight months and eight operations. Dr. Seeniraj told my father that this child has got a second chance and it means that he will achieve something great in life. It gave my parents a lot of hope,” smiles Janarthanan.
He asked his doctor a simple question during the recovery period – “How will I go to school after all this? How will I go normally, like I used to go earlier?” And the even simpler answer to this question changed his life.
“The doctor just told me that he knows many people who write with their mouth, and I should also try. I started trying that evening only. And kept practicing for days till I finally succeeded,” he says.
After his treatment, Janarthanan went to the Government Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine in Chennai to get a prosthetic leg. His family had spent a lot of money on his treatment by then, and this was the maximum they could afford. Soon, he started walking, after fighting immense pain with his unbeatable determination during the practice sessions.
All this while, Janarthanan also continued to practice writing with his mouth. One day, he saw his mother drawing some flowers in a notebook. It struck him then that he could try drawing and painting as well. So he did.
And after several days of hard work, he succeeded at that too – painting with poster and water colours.
This was when some people at the rehabilitation centre advised him that he should participate in painting competitions because his work was so impressive.
He writes, draws and paints with his mouth
“Earlier, I used to feel very shy and bad about going out. But when I did finally participate in one competition, I ended up winning the first prize. It really encouraged me. Everyone was talking about my victory and there were posters about my recovery at the hospital to encourage other patients like me. Every time I saw those posters, I used to get motivated to participate in more competitions,” says Janarthanan.
He practiced his art himself and never joined any training centre to learn painting or drawing. Since his first victory, he has participated in many big and small events, winning in most of them.
The first time he participated in a national level competition was in 2005, through Bal Bhawan in Chennai. The competition was held at three levels – zonal, district and state.
Janarthanan went on qualifying at each level to finally reach the finals, which were organized in Delhi.
“I didn’t participate with children with physical disabilities. The competition was for everyone, and it was really tough. A few months after the event they sent me a letter saying that I was selected for the National Award and had to go to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive it. I didn’t expect anything like that, and it was a priceless moment. I met Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. ‘You should be a role model for others,’ he told me. I am still living by his words,” the artist remembers.
He has won more than 150 awards since 2003, and received a recent one from musician A. R. Rahman.
Receiving an award from A.R. Rahman
Janarthanan wrote all his exams with his mouth, including his class 10 board exams for which he was granted some extra time.
With his desire to become a computer graphics designer, Janarthanan did a course in multimedia, followed by a visual effects course from Loyola College.
After that, he joined a media channel and worked there for three years.
With Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
Currently, 24-year-old Janarthanan is working as a freelancer in the field of film editing and is concentrating on learning more about film direction.
He is exploring the filed of film direction
“I face each day like a challenge, and without the support of my parents and sister, I would not have reached so far. I just want to continue being positive and do what I love,” he concludes.
Janarthanan, you really are an inspiration for many. Here’s wishing you the very best for all your future projects.
When Vijay Thakur, a mechanical engineer, lost his first child just because he did not get a taxi to get to the hospital on time, he left his job. To become a taxi driver who would help the needy.
Vijay Thakur was working as a mechanical engineer with Larsen and Toubro, Mumbai, in 1982. He earned a handsome salary. Once married, life became even better with his wife Saroj by his side. They soon learnt they were going to be parents too and Vijay’s joy knew no bounds.
But one night in March 1982, when Saroj was just 3 months pregnant, she had pain in her abdomen. Vijay rushed out to look for a cab to take his wife to the hospital. It was 2 am and no taxi was ready to stop for him. He kept waving and pleading but did not get a taxi. Finally, he ran till Andheri station and brought a taxi back home by paying Rs. 300 (almost like paying Rs. 3000 in today’s money) to take Saroj to Nanavati hospital. But, unfortunately, by the time they reached the hospital Saroj had a miscarriage.
Vijay and Saroj lost their first child just because no taxi driver was willing to do his job. Vijay was thoroughly shaken up by the tragedy. He kept thinking no one should go through the same experience his wife and he did.
“I was earning quite well then and so I could afford to at least pay double and get a taxi. But I started thinking about those people who cannot even afford to hire an auto rickshaw,” says Vijay.
Vijay now wanted to do something for such patients. But his long hours at work did not leave him with much time to think. He was still struggling between his career and his desire to help people when Larsen & Toubro introduced a voluntary retirement scheme in 1984. Thakur took up the offer and decided to become a taxi driver, promising himself that he would never decline a passenger. He bought a Fiat car for Rs. 66,000 and got a taxi permit.
He made himself available to passengers always.
“I don’t sleep between 2 am and 4 am because that is the time an emergency patient may need a taxi,” says Vijay.
Despite opposition from his wife and family, Vijay kept doing his work. But then, life again took a tragic turn in the year 1999 when his younger son was hit by a ball on his knees while playing cricket. Initially, his wife and he ignored the injury, thinking it was just a small cut. But within a week the knee had swollen so much that they took him to a doctor. There, the small cut was diagnosed as cancerous and the 19-year-old boy left within 16 days.
Vijay was devastated; he had spent all his savings on his son’s treatment.
“Once, I had to pay a bill for Rs. 43,000 for my son’s treatment. I was short by Rs. 10 and the cashier refused to accept my money. A stranger offered me the balance and only then did the cashier take the money and issue a receipt. This incident strengthened my resolve to help people in need,” says Vijay.
After this incident, Vijay stopped charging fares from poor patients and painted a sign to the effect on the rear window of the taxi. Anyone in Mumbai can give him a call any time and he never says ‘No.’
When asked about his most memorable experiences, he describes quite a few. One of them happened almost 15-20 years back. He was driving on the night of December 31, around 3 am, when he saw a car ramming into a tanker. When Vijay looked inside the car, there was a couple along with an 8-month-old baby girl. He rushed them to Cooper hospital immediately. Unfortunately, the mother died but the father and the child were saved because they got treatment on time. The lady was wearing jewellery worth Rs. 2 lakhs, which the doctors gave to Vijay. Once the victim’s relatives arrived at the hospital, Vijay handed over the jewellery to them and left. Later, he came to know the accident victim was film producer Sudhakar Bokade’s wife. Mr. Bokade offered him money once he was back home with his daughter but Vijay refused to take anything.
“I don’t do this for money or publicity. I don’t remember the people who I have helped once they are fine,” says Vijay.
Vijay Thakur was felicitated by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan on his show Aaj ki Raat Hai Zindagi,where he met his all time favourite star Jeetendra.
Pic source: Twitter
“It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I never ever thought I could meet Jeetu ji. I am a huge fan. I used to bunk school and watch his movies. I have watched the movie Farz some 31 times just because of Jeetendra,” says Vijay.
Pic source: Hotstar
But this man, who left his lucrative career and took up the job of a taxi driver, helped more than 500 needy patients and ferried thousands to their destinations without any complaints, needs your help now.
He is 73 years old now and was recently diagnosed with cervical spondylitis.
“The doctor said it needs to be operated on. He also said that I will either die or will be paralyzed after this operation. But people say I have so many blessings, nothing will happen. I believe them,” he says.
If you wish to help Vijay Thakur, you can call him on +91 9819001689.
Source…….Manabi Katoch in http://www.the betterindia.com
Above all, it is best that the Sadhaka under all circumstances should be joyful, smiling and enthusiastic. Even more than Bhakthi and Jnana (Devotion and Wisdom), this pure attitude is desirable. Those who have acquired it deserve to reach the goal first. This quality of joy at all times is the fruit of the good done in past births. When a person is ever worried, depressed and doubting, he can never attain bliss, whatever spiritual practices or Sadhana one may undertake. The first task of a spiritual aspirant is the cultivation of enthusiasm. Through that enthusiasm, he can derive any variety of Ananda. Never get inflated when you are praised; never get deflated when you are blamed. Be a spiritual lion, regardless of both. One must analyse and correct one’s faults on his own; this is most important.
Take off with Natarajan 