Thousands of Mumbaikars will throng the streets to participate in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on January 19. While most of them will participate to test their fitness, there will be one who will run for glory. Oliver D'Souza – a T-7 paraplegic from Borivli – will show his vigour in the Championship with Disability category.
The category is for the differently abled and D'Souza has been participating since 2011.
“We come as a group for the marathon because we just want to be counted. Everybody talks about minorities, but nobody talks about us,” he said.
“I want those people who would rather spend their morning sleeping to feel ashamed by seeing me. Nobody expects a paraplegic people to run 2.4 km,” he added.
The 31-year-old was a recognised footballer at one point but an accident in 2005 ruined his fortunes. He had fallen 12 feet down on his back from a makeshift roof which left him paralysed.
“I had no motivation to do anything. I stayed at home for four years just being depressed, sad and angry. I also stayed at the Paraplegic Home for spinal injury patients in Sion for sometime,” said D'Souza.
However, in 2010, he found his motivation after attending a seminar by Nina Foundation, an NGO which helps patients with spinal cord injuries. “They made me realise that despite my condition, I could lead a normal life. I kept meeting motivating people since then. When I saw them doing wheel-chair stunts and happily playing tennis and throw-ball, I was awestruck. I sought help from them and my life just changed after that," he stated.
D'souza has been working with the Royal Bank of Scotland since March 2013 and drives his car from Borivli to Parel (where his office is located) every day. He wants to pursue a full-time MBA degree, but the infrastructure in the city de-motivates him from doing so.
“I want to study, but going to college is a nightmare as most colleges are not wheel-chair friendly. I just hope the government pays a little heed to our needs,” he asserted.
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