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Fighting brave
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A passionate sportsman hops, skips, and jumps his way out of a childhood polio affliction.
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HE PAUSES at every step. Measured steps are his distinctive trait. And they are inevitable. Ramesh Tikaram does have a problem. He suffers from Post-Polio Paralysis Residual that afflicts his left leg.
A limp is a constant shadow, but that has not stopped Ramesh from doing a "hop, skip and jump" in the field of sport for the handicapped. A regular on the sports circuit for the last 15 years, Ramesh was bestowed with the Ekalavya Award in 2001. "Recognition for us from the Government is often late. We also do not get jobs in spite of our achievements on the sports field," says Ramesh.
However, his smile never fades. Perhaps it is this streak of optimism that helps him do an early morning jog without fail, and despite the pain in his left leg. "From my childhood, I loved sport. I have played everything including athletics — primarily throwing events — volleyball, badminton, power lifting, and table tennis."
It was Malathi Holla and Mahadev who fired his dreams. Malathi Holla, stuck to a wheel chair, excelled in the Paralympics sports meet at Seoul in 1988, while Mahadev carved a niche for himself in the "handicapped upper limb" category. "After seeing and reading about their performances, even I started dreaming about an international medal," Ramesh says. The fire within was kindled again as C.N. Janaki swam across the English Channel.
"Janaki has a problem with both her hands and legs and yet she swam across the Channel. That was really inspiring. I have also admired Ashwini Sukumar's skills. Ashwini is handicapped in her right hand," he points out.
Those early tentative steps acquired a confident gait as he clinched his first gold medal in an inter-school meet in 1983. "I got gold in the shot-put event and it was something special," he says. And as he made those giant strides in sports, studies inevitably suffered. "I used to excel at school, but once I joined college, I hardly had time. I took 10 years to get my engineering degree from BMS College of Engineering," Ramesh says with disarming candour.
Studies may have taken the backseat, but shot put and other throwing events remain an eternal favourite. "I love throwing events. It is indeed tough owing to my handicap. In shot put, especially you need to have a strong base, and it is the legs that give a base. Somehow, I manage to be stable at the time of release. It is important because it affects the projection and in turn the distance that one can throw," Ramesh points out.
The early days were tough, but Ramesh persisted. He joined David Premnath's David's Athletic Movement Club in 1989. "I was there for six years and learnt a lot. Even now, I go there and have training sessions. In fact, I trained with normal throwers and it helped my technique and approach," he recalls. The sweat and the strain did bring their reward as Ramesh became a regular on the victors' podium in National level meets since 1988. Medals were pocketed with ease in shot-put, javelin throw, and discus. It was just a matter of time before international honours beckoned.
Ramesh clinched a bronze in the Toowoomba Games at Brisbane, Australia, in 1991.
His first International medal was a precursor for many more. And the medal hunt had its latest addition as recently as March. And incidentally, he bagged the gold in the badminton singles of the 3rd Israel Open International Championship.
"I play all sport, though throwing remains a favourite. I have also played cricket at the National level for more than 10 years." The badminton connection remains strong and perhaps it was the key to his efforts that helped Bangalore host the International Badminton Championship for the disabled last year. "We faced a lot of difficulties in organising the event, and I am sure by now, the Government would have realised the difficulties we handicappers face in sport meets," chips in K.Y. Venkatesh, Executive President, Commonwealth Disabled Sports Association. The association was formed at the behest of Ramesh, who also holds the position of the Secretary General. "I took the initiative since I thought that it was time for the younger generation — 30 plus guys like me — to do something for handicapped-sports since our seniors had only time for eyeing various awards," the 33-year-old Ramesh remarks.
Life, despite the medals, and the accolades, remains grim. And Ramesh hopes that he is not fighting a losing battle. "The Government should step in and help us with grants. We lack sponsors as corporates shy away. Even jobs are distant as government bodies such as the Central Excise prefer normal sportsmen to us. Even for our foreign trips for meets, we have to beg and borrow. I just hope somehow our situation improves. Another issue that affects us is that we never get any recognition. It took 15 years before I was considered for the Ekalavya Award while a normal sportsperson gets the award much earlier," he points out.
The stumbling blocks, however, have not quenched his thirst for competitive sport. "I will compete as long as it takes. I am fit and I have been doing extremely well in national and international meets. Yes, I will be involved in coaching. But that is for the future," he says.
Ramesh is now busy packing his bags for a trip to Germany. "We have an international meet there and I am running around for funds," he quips.
Running around for funds and a handicap that has no cure remains the constant millstone.
"My handicap is something I have got to live with. My parents say that a wrong vaccine injection was administered during my childhood and that affected my left leg. But, overall, I am leading a normal life. I work as a part-time marketing agent though I hardly get time since I am busy practising for sports meets," he says.
He trudges on. A few dreams still remain.
And Ramesh says: "I am not yet finished."
K.C.V.K.
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