Li fe w a s v e ry di ffi c ult the re , but I d idn't loos e
fa i th , a fte r s pe n di ng fe w y e a rs , m y pa r e nts
c a m e to s e e m e , the n I c a m e to k now a bout
th e thi ng s , w hi c h the y got s uffe r e d be c a us e
m e be i n g i n c ri m e w or ld.. My fa the r w a s
be a te n by po l i c e . . polic e ha ra s s e d m y fa m ily
re a l l y ba d, I ha d four s is te rs ... a nd polic e
us e d to c om e a ny tim e in s e a rc h of m e .. I w a s
s o s ha tte re d b y l i s ting tha t, a nd I fe lt
a s ha m e d of m e tha t be c a us e of m y
fo ol i s hne s s a n d s e lfis hne s s , m y fa m ily got
s u ffe re d s o m uc h . . a nd tha t w a s it, I got
fi rm e d w i th m y d e c is ion tha t I w ill be a good
hu m a n be i n g no m a tte r w ha t, I w ill ne v e r giv e
up on m e a nd n e v e r go ba c k to c rim e w or ld
a g a i n.
Li fe w e n t o n for fe w m onths a nd My da d
pa s s e d a w a y i n 1 9 9 7 , a nd I did not e v e n k now
fo r s i x m o nths , M r. Is a c Sw a m i Da s did not
te l l m e a bo ut m y d a d, He fe a r e d of m e ge tting
a r re s te d by p ol i c e if I w ould be in m y da d's
fu ne ra l .
V R: I s ti l l re m e m be rs the inc ide nt lik e , s om e tim e s w e
c o ul d e a t o ne m e a l only a nd tha t too a lim ite d one , I don't
c o m p l a i n th a t, I j u s t s a y tha t w a s th e ha rd tim e w ha t
J e s us w a nte d m e to e x pe r ie nc e to b e c om e a be tte r m a n.
Th e re w e re ti m e s , tha t s om e pe ople us e d to dona te the ir
us e d c l othe s , w e a ll c hildr e n's us e d to w a it for tha t k ind
of d ona ti on s , b e c a us e s hopping ne w c lothe s w e re jus t a
dr e a m a t tha t ti m e , s o for us , us e d c lothe s w e re the only
m e a n of s hop p i n g. W e a ll us e d to h a v e ne e dle a nd thre a d
to s ti tc h ol d c l oth e s ...
I a m ge tti ng c a rr i e d a w a y .. but in s h ort, it w a s be tte r life
tha n a l i fe w i th g a ngs te r s .
Bu t one da y , I w a s de pre s s e d a nd m is s ing m y da d s o
m uc h tha t I tho ug ht to c a ll him , I ha d de c ide d to go to m y
fa m i l y ba c k be for e I be c om e s om e thing, but I w a nte d to
ta l k to hi m v e ry b a dly .. In thos e da y s , the re us e d to be
P CO 's fr om w he r e y ou c ould c a ll, I ha d only 9 0 pa is a , a nd
w a s s hor t of 1 0 pa is a to m a k e a c a ll, I w e nt to the
a c c ounts de p a r tm e nt a nd told one l a dy to le nd m e 1 0
pa i s a to m a k e a c a ll but s he re fus e d a nd I fe lt s o ba d tha t
on c e u po n a ti m e w he n I us e d to be a ga ngs te r, I us e d to
ha v e l ot o f m on e y w ith m e but toda y I a m s o c ons tra ine d
tha t I c a n 't m a k e a c a ll.
My e y e s got w e t b ut I didn't loos e the re , s om e how ,
m a n a ge d to r a i s e 1 0 pa is a a nd c a lle d m y da d.. I s ta rte d
c r y i ng w he n I h e a r d his v oic e a nd s a id, Da d I a m in lots of
tro ub l e a nd I s ta y he r e a t NG O , I fe e l lik e orpha n, a nd I
m i s s y ou a l l . . . M y da d re plie d.. don 't loos e hope be ta ..
J E S US I S W I TH Y O U.. jus t don't giv e up..
I d i dn't unde rs ta nd the n w hy m y da d is s a y ing lik e this ,
i ns te a d of c a l l i n g m e ba c k hom e , he s a id don't loos e hope
bu t the n l a te r I re a lize d tha t, if he w ould ha v e c a lle d m e
ho m e the n po l i c e w ould ha v e a rre s te d m e , s o he s a id,
ha v e fa i th i n J E S US.
But a fte r s i x m o nths , w he n I w e nt m y hous e ,
a n d I s a w fa c e s of m y s iblings a nd m y
m oth e r, I de c i de d , I w ould bring ha ppine s s on
th e i r fa c e s a nd I w ould go a ny e x te n t a nd w ill
w ork h a rd fo r m y fa m ily a nd m y s iblings
s tu di e s . Be i ng a n e lde s t s on in m y fa m ily ,
no w th e un a s k e d pre s s ure w a s on m e ,
a l th oug h no bod y e x pe c te d but I fe lt tha t
pr e s s ure .
S o I s ta rte d s tudy ing in night s c hool, s o I
c o ul d a t l e a s t p a s s 1 0 th s ta nda r d to ge t job.
Al l da y I us e d to w ork a t NG O a nd t he n in
ni gh t I us e d to g o to the night s c hool.
BC: W h e n a n d Ho w did y ou ge t y ou r fir s t
a r ti fi c i a l l i m b ?
V R: I n 1 9 9 7 I got m y fir s t a rtific ia l le g i n KEM
ho s p i ta l a n d by G od's gr a c e y ou w on't be lie v e
I g ot m y a rti fi c i a l J a ipur le g in jus t one da y .
Ac tu a l l y s om e o ne told m e a bout J a ipur le g in
KE M hos pi ta l , tha t the y ha v e a tr us t the r e , a nd
w i th s om e fo rm a l i tie s a nd ge nuine ne s s , the y
us e d to h e l p w i th J a ipur le g for fre e to poor
pe opl e l i k e m e . I s till r e m e m be r tha t da y v e ry
w e l l , a fte r g e tti ng J a ipur le g, I boug ht one
j e a n s from ro a ds , a nd one goggle s tha t too
fro m ro a d s i de , NG O s ta rte d giv ing m e s tipe nd
7 5 0 RS a m o nth fo r m y w ork the r e , s o I m a k e
ov e re d m y s e l f, a c tua lly I w e nt to public toile t
a n d c h a ng e d m y c lothe s a nd c a m e o ut of lik e
he ro. I w e nt to m y NG O a nd w ith full
c o nfi de nc e , w he n I e nte re d the r e , nobody
re c og ni ze d m e . E v e ry body c ould s e e m y
c o nfi de nc e th e re , I fe lt firs t tim e in m y life s o
ha ppy I c a n 't s a y in w ords .. But J a ipur le gs
c h a ng e d m y e n ti r e life a nd fille d w ith
po s i ti v i ty .