Mumbai: ‘Leave the past behind, but keep the lessons’

As thirtyfouryearold Hitesh Gowari a resident of the hamlet Dongarpada in Palghar district grapples with the lifealtering loss of his left leg in a recent bull shark attack midday presents stories of how in the face of adversity the human spiritrsquos resilience shines brightest Here are four individuals who following accidents have emerged not just as survivors but as victorsChirag ChauhanThis 39yearold Mumbai resident a survivor of the July 11 2006 serial train blasts did not let his paralysis defeat him as he strived to achieve success and completed the chartered accountancy course three years after the horrific incident Chauhan who was 20 years old at the time said he was returning home when a bomb exploded in his train between Khar and Santacruz stations Chauhan suffered a spinal cord injury and he has been dependent on a wheelchair ever since Recalling the horror years later a smiling Chauhan said it made him even stronger and showed him that despite being wheelchairbound he achieved his dreamsChirag Chauhan at his Malad office on March 7 PicNimesh DaveChauhan told midday ldquoWhen the incident occurred I was already in the process of gathering myself contemplating how to achieve independence Just three years before the blast I had lost my father At 20 I was charting my path towards pursuing a CA qualification Having completed my B Com at Nagindas Khandwala College in Malad I had cleared CA foundation level I and intermediate level 2 and was undertaking articleship in 2006rdquoAlso Read Maharashtra Bull Shark was provoked by villagers claims Wildlife WardenHe added ldquoIt took me two years to come to terms with the permanence and irreversibility of my situation Until then I held onto hope that I would recover and regain mobility However upon acceptance of my reality I redirected my focus towards my studies Determined to fulfil my aspirations I resolved to rise above my circumstances The years from 2009 to 2012 proved pivotal for me as I completed my CA and gained employment at two prominent companiesrdquo In April 2012 Chauhan decided to start his own practice Today he is a successful CA with his own office in Malad West He is on track to complete his LLB by next yearldquoFor the initial two to three years the anniversary of the incident brought about feelings of unease sorrow and apprehension However I no longer experience such emotions It was a neardeath experience which instilled fearlessness within me I am thriving now have my own office and drive a car all by myself While I carry lessons from the past I have moved forward leaving the past behind To those who are facing similar trauma I offer a simple piece of advice acceptance is key Work tirelessly towards your dreams recognising the gift of life itself Life is surely not easy but it is beautiful Everyone encounters challengesmdashwhether physical emotional or psychological Embracing oneself is paramountrdquo said ChauhanMalvika IyerIn 2002 a bomb explosion robbed a 13yearold Malvika Iyer of her hands leaving her a bilateral amputee However undeterred she displayed remarkable strength and resilience going on to become a PhD scholar disability activist model for accessible fashion and international motivational speakerMalvika Iyer PhD scholar disability activist model and motivational speakerCurrently residing in the US with her husband Iyer shared her journey and the ongoing challenges she faces Recalling the day of the accident May 26 2002 Iyer vividly remembers the horrifying aftermath with blood and the smell of burnt flesh filling the air The explosion resulted in the loss of both her hands and left her legs severely injured requiring extensive medical attention and rendering her bedridden for over a yearDespite the outpouring of support from her immediate family she encountered insensitivity and negativity from others outside her inner circle Facing hurtful remarks and being labelled a burden Iyer grappled with the emotional toll of societal judgment Despite enduring countless surgeries and persistent pain Iyer embraced her reality and chose to focus on acceptance and resilience She credits her family including her parents sister and husband for their unwavering support throughout her journeyFor Iyer resilience is not just a virtue but a way of lifemdasha guiding principle that drives her mission to inspire and uplift others reminding us all that every challenge is an opportunity for growth and purpose While Iyer continues to inspire many she still grapples with anxiety and experiences bouts of posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD to this day Nevertheless she has not shied away from discussing these challenges and advocates for greater awareness and attention to mental healthldquoThe most agonising experience for me was encountering my first bout of PTSD and anxiety symptoms in 2018 For three weeks straight I couldnrsquot sleepmdashnot even for a minute day or night My body was plagued by severe tremors and relentless anxiety all stemming from the childhood accident The trauma was so overwhelming that I had to be hospitalised and the road to recovery was long and arduous I often speak openly about mental health because itrsquos evident to anyone who sees me that I have a physical disability However the invisible scars of mental anguish are equally profound and debilitatingrdquo she saidAspi SepoyThe 52yearold caretaker of the Parsi Museum at Udvada Aspi Sepoy who lost both his legs in a train accident in September 2017 is now healing the afflicted and advises all to keep going ldquoIf I could stand by and resume my normal life despite losing my legs there is no reason others cannot do itrdquo said SepoySepoy who now drives a threewheeler scooty to his workplace at Udvada and his residence at Navsari said ldquoMy life and living are indebted to the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust and Dinshaw Tamboly who have looked after me It is because of them that I am standing and leading a normal life todayrdquoRail accident survivor Aspi Sepoy at Udvada Gujarat PicSameer MarkandeRecounting his lifealtering accident he said ldquoWhen I entered Udvada station the train to Navsari was just leaving I tried to board it but my footwear got stuck in rail sleepers that were lying on the platform and I slipped and fell I tried to hold the handlebar but my hand could not take my body weight The legs were already in the gap between the platform and the train and got crushed It was just one wheel that had passed over it when the guard onboard who was flagging off the train realised and braked hardldquoThe journey after this was a painful one but I could not give up I have two kids my wife had passed away and they needed me With the support of my community I could garner support and am back at work now One must not lose the will to live Even today I am a part of the tobaccofree campaign and I counsel addicts helping them to quitrdquo he saidAsked about his recovery he said medical science has advanced and the body heals over a period of time ldquoSometimes there is phantom pain at night Doctors say it will stay for a while I have overcome it Those who suffer a similar fate as me should keep in mind these are small hiccups in getting life back to normalcyrdquo he saidTamboly chairman World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust said ldquoThe saga of Aspi Sepoy is illustrative of how severe adversity can be overcome with grit and determination Aspi hailing from an economically challenged background would have been unable to meet the medical expenses A public appeal from the trust evoked generous response enabling Aspi to undergo hospitalisation amputation and avail himself of prostheticsrdquoMonika MoreldquoI am at the office and will return in the evening when we can catch up and chatrdquo says a busy 28yearold Monika Ashok More when contacted for an interview More who became the face of a campaign against deadly platform gaps after losing her arms in an accident at Ghatkopar station in 2014 has put the dark phase of her life behind her and is now leading a regular lifeOnce a patient at Global Hospital Parel today she motivates scores of patients at the same facility where she is a patient care coordinator ldquoI was returning home from SNDT college on January 11 2014 when I slipped into the gap between the train and the platform into a signal pit at Ghatkopar station I was rushed to Rajawadi hospital by two boysrdquo More recalledMonika More the cityrsquos firsthand transplant recipient at her Kurla residence PicSameer MarkandeAs days passed she was moved to KEM hospital where she was given prosthetic limbs as life started to normalise Things took a turn when her father expired in 2018 and being the eldest in the household she had to take up the responsibility of supporting her family as her younger brother was a student More had been looking for work since she graduated with a bachelorrsquos degree in commerce in 2017 but the prosthetics limited her She was offered a job as a supervisor at a private nursing home in Kurla EastldquoAt the same time in September 2018 I registered for a double hand transplant at Global Hospital in Parel In 2020 I found a donor and underwent the lifechanging procedurerdquo she said She became the cityrsquos firsthand transplant recipient The donor was a 32yearold man who was declared brain dead at Global Hospital in Chennai ldquoI am standing tall because of the timely support of everyone counselling and my willpower I received immense support from my family Dr Kirit Somaiya sir and plastic surgeon Dr Nilesh G Satbhai Today technology and medical science are advanced and can help patients lead a normal liferdquo she said ldquoOne should keep looking forward Technology and medical science today can do the unimaginable We just need the right guidancerdquo she added2017Year Aspi Sepoy lost both legs