🕓 June 27, 2009
- Dr Eugene D'Souza, Mumbai
Kanajar, Jun 27: Human spirit and endeavor can conquer any physical
disability and achieve greater heights provided the individual has determination
to succeed and also get appropriate motivation, encouragement, support and
guidance. This has been proved by a number of persons across the world where
physically disabled persons have not only overcome their handicaps but achieved
such goals which even able-bodied persons would find difficult.
Malini with her mentor Willie master
This is the story of Malini Bhandari of Kaudur village (Kanajar) in Karkala taluka,
who conquered her physical disability, pursued education, became a graduate and is
presently employed in a co-operative bank. It was chiefly because of the determination
and perseverance one person, William D'Sa (Popularly known as Willie Master) that
Malini achieved the success which she or her family could never dream of.
Realizing Malini's extraordinary abilities, Willie Master motivated her to
continue education up to graduation and became her mentor and guide whom Malini
holds in high esteem and affection.
It was a freak accident that cost Malini both her hands when she was just
eighteen months old chubby playful little girl. As she was playing with her twin
sister Shalini near the fireplace where paddy was being boiled, Malini lost her
balance and collapsed in the fire. This unfortunate incident coupled with the
negligence of the doctor who treated her initially resulted in the loss of both
palms and fingers shattering the life of this young girl.
The parents of Malini, Dharmapala and Pushpawati Bhandari with six children, four
girls and two boys and three elderly people to look after were finding it hard to
maintain such a large family. In spite of grinding poverty, Malini's parents enrolled
her in the Lourdes' Higher Primary School, Kanajar. Having lost all fingers, the
biggest challenge for Malini was the ability to write on a slate or a notebook. After
many painful attempts, she managed to write holding slate stick and later pencil
and pen in between both the stems of her forearms. With the guidance of her
teachers, Malini could perfect the art of writing and produce such graceful and
beautiful hand writing that could put even normal students to shame.
With the passing years, Malini could understand that she was different from the
other students in the class due to her physical disability and gradually began
to develop inferiority complex. The feeling that she could not do things as
other normal children plunged her into depression. Thus, physical disability
coupled with inferiority complex and lack of motivation from the
poverty-stricken family prompted Malini to give up education after the fourth
standard.
Malini would have remained uneducated and lived a life of misery on the mercy of
the family members and the society, but for a kind hearted teacher, Willie
Master of Moodubelle who had been transferred from Belle to the Lourdes' Higher
Primary School, Kanajar in 1990. He had been observing Malini while she was in
the fourth standard and was very much touched by her disability. He was
concerned about her well being and further studies. Incidentally, Willie Master
himself has been afflicted by polio in one of his legs and had tough time during
his student days and even later. He could empathize with Malini and understand
her plight better than any other person.
As Willie Master was teaching fifth standard and above classes, he was looking
forward to teach Malini during the next academic year. But to his surprise and
disappointment, Malini did not join the school for the fifth standard. Not
seeing Malini in school, Willie Master sent messages to her father to meet him
thinking that he could convince him to send his daughter to school. Dharmapala
gave various excuses for not sending his daughter to the school even telling him
that she was not good in studies and a handicapped child would have no future in
education.
Though disappointed with the excuses of Dharmapala, Willie Master did not give
up his efforts to bring Malini back to school. Persuading Dharmapala to send
Malini to school, Willie Master promised that he would take special care to
teach her and would bear all her expenses related to education and clothing.
Being convinced of the genuine concern of Willie Master about his daughter's
future, Dharmapala agreed to send Malini once again to school and Willie Master
became her guardian, motivator and mentor.
As the financial condition of Malini's family was miserable, Willie Master
posted an article in a periodical appealing for donations. The readers responded
generously and sent an amount of nearly Rs.40,000/- to the aid of the family.
Willie Master suggested that the amount should be kept in long term fixed
deposits so that it could be of use to Malini in her future life. He advised
Malini to express her gratitude to all those who had sent her financial help and
pray for them.
The goodwill of the people and encouragement from Willie Master motivated Malini
to continue her studies. However, after seventh standard Malini's education once
again came under cloud due to lack of financial support.
Meanwhile, Willie Master, who has been a member of the Lion's Club of Moodubelle,
narrated the story of Malini to the office bearers. Realizing that the girl
needed financial support to continue her education, Commodore Jerome Castelino
and his wife Mrs. Rose Castelino, through the Lion's Club of Moodubelle, took up
the responsibility of sponsoring her education up to the graduation level.
With this assurance, Willie Master got Malini admitted to the eight standard in
the newly established Government High School at Kanajar. She passed the SSLC
examination in first division and joined the Government Pre-University College
at Bailoor. As if to derail her determination to get higher education, Malini
was shocked when the PUC results were announced in which she was declared as
failed, that too in the subject of English in which she was confident of
securing good marks as she was tutored by her ‘guru' Willie Master.
On applying for revaluation, it was found that the evaluator had overlooked four
pages of her answer sheets and was eventually declared as having passed the PUC
examination in first division. By that time, admissions to the colleges had
completed and the academic year had already started. The carelessness on the
part of one examiner had cost Malini one precious year of her education.
Instead of wasting time while waiting for the next academic year, Malini
enrolled herself for the computer course. In the next academic year Malini got
admission to the First Year BA in the Shri Venkataramana Women's College, Karkala.
The struggle of Malini against all odds and her determination to complete graduation
was appreciated by the Government of Karnataka. In 2004, while she was in the Second Year
BA, Malini was invited to Bangalore along with other eight physically disabled persons
on the occasion of the Republic Day celebrations and was honored by the Governor,
Shri T.N. Chaturvedi by a certificate and grant of Rs.10,000/- for her courage
and extraordinary efforts in pursuing higher education against all odds.
Accolades began to pour in as Malini's efforts in acquiring higher education in
spite of her disabilities and poverty got wide publicity in various local and
state news papers. She was felicitated by the Bhandari community to which she
belonged and other social organizations. Malini was adjudged as the best student
of the Shri Venkataramana Women's College for the academic year 2004-05.
In the Final Year BA, Malini put in her best efforts and completed her
graduation with English major passing Final BA with first class, securing 66%
marks. Following her graduation, Malini did the Post Graduate Diploma
Certificate Course in computer and taught computer classes for one year at the
Lourdes' Higher Primary School, Kanajar, before joining the Savitha Samaja
Co-operative Bank started by the Bhandari community at Ambalpadi in Udupi where
she has been working as a clerk for the last two years.
Malini's journey from being the victim of a freak accident at the age of one and
a half years that cost her fingers and palms till the acquisition of a
respectable job in the co-operative bank is the story of despair, helplessness
and struggle and finally the triumph of grit, determination, motivation and
human spirit against the physical disability.
When i met her at the home of Willie Master, i noticed that, in spite of her
physical disability, Malini exudes with confidence and full of life. She has a
happy disposition and wears pleasant smile on her face.
She never ceases to praise Willie Master and considers him to be her second
parent and saviour who gave her a new life by motivating, encouraging and
supporting her in all ways in achieving her goal. Being a graduate, first in her
community, has given her an identity, respect and livelihood. She is extremely
grateful to all those who had helped her financially, especially Commodore
Jerome Castelino and Mrs. Rose Castelino of the Lion's Cub of Moodubelle for
sponsoring her education till graduation. She also fondly remembers her friends
who helped her in every respect.
Willie Master is very proud of Malini and her achievements. With humility he
considers himself as a catalyst who tried to bring out the best in her. He says
that for students with physical handicaps, self-image is extremely important.
Teachers should ensure that the child's self-image is positive. Physically
handicapped children want to succeed and participate as much as they can and
this needs to be encouraged and fostered by the teacher. The focus needs to be
on what the child can do - not what it can't do. Further he says that disability
is a state of mind and one can rise above physical impairment and lead a
successful life with a sense of commitment and dedication. Willie Master himself
is an example of this.
The story of Malini and Willie Master is an eye opener to all of us to do
something within our means to make this world a better place to live in.
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