Born to Fly
This book by Nitin Sathe is about the incredible life of M P Anil Kumar(MP), a dashing MiG-21 pilot of the Indian Air Force, whose career was shattered /cut short by a freak motor cycle accident in 1988 that left him paralyzed below the neck at the young age of 24. Since 1988 he lived in the military's Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre in Pune till his passing away in 2014.
· Being a pilot and an army man, MP overcame partially the disaster with indefatigable will and determination.
· His crippling paralysis and dependence on others for a living did not deter him from contributing.
· Initially, he started writing, by using a stick, with his mouth and subsequently, he used a customized computer key board for his writings.
· This determined pursuit made him an inspiration to many by showcasing the manner in which he picked up the threads of his life.
· An article he wrote about his disability, called Airborne to Chair borne, was so inspirational that it found its way in school textbooks in Maharashtra and Kerala.
Nitin Sathe, a batch mate of MP at the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, pays tributes to this amazing fighter through the book under reference.
The accident confined MP to a wheelchair for life.
· But he did not lament and regret his fate and tried his best to make use of the given circumstances.
· Reading his articles, published in newspapers, helped to inspire people who were faced with multiple issues.
· Think for a moment his plight and life and contrast that with any one blessed with good health, mind and intellect .
· What do we see? Many lose their confidence and will in life with all faculties in tact.
· For such people lives of people like MP are a beacon of hope. (In this regard one should recall the life and contributions of Helen Keller.)
‘Few people go through a lifetime without facing adversity. Some people give up, some accept it and a few fight back with grace and become icons in their own lifetimes. No one thought that MP would become an icon without lifting a finger. Yet that is what he did going by the book’.
MPs writings, without referring to any other material, are a pleasure to read, going by the language and depth. Take for instance this para-“Believe it or not every dark cloud has a silver lining. To surmount seemingly insuperable obstacles one has to shun the thought of disability and master the remnant faculties and then canalize one's slumbering energies purposefully, and whole heartedly. It is not just physical ability and average intelligence but an insatiable appetite for success and an unflagging will power that would texture the warp and woof of the fabric called human destiny. Greater the difficulty sweeter the victory.”
A documentary on MP titled – and the fight goes on— states that ‘ his is a story that all of us must know especially those who drift through life with all limbs intact unwilling to maximize achievements and unware of our good fortune.’ On one occasion MP stated that ‘there is no need for sympathy. One should be treated only as an equal”. These words show the indomitable spirit and courage of MP, former Pilot, that can be an eye opener to many.
Book has something for everyone . A large number of cited personal accounts show the impact MP had left with his readers and acquaintances. MP’s guidance to someone reads-“ Look forward in life and don’t live in the past as clutching on to past memories will turn life melancholic.”
Readers are invited to read this highly inspiring Book and also to visit the Internet to know the extra-ordinary life of MP that will provide courage, determination and motivation in life.
Be peaceful
Vande Mataram
12 Noon
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