Making Lemonades Out of Lemons

What do we do when life throws a challenge to us? Most of us groan and mop asking why me? But there are some who take these challenges as an opportunity and move ahead with grit and determination. One such soul is Rakshit Shetty who challenged his physical handicap. Hats off to his indomitable spirit!

He tells us his journey till now–”I was born on September 1, 1987 and was as normal as any other baby. When I was three months old baby, my mother had high fever. Since she was nursing me, I got the fever too and doctors diagnosed my illness as meningitis fever. The high fever damaged my optic nerve and I lost the ability to see. Doctors accepted defeat before ‘Optic Nerve Atrophy’ but I did not allow my visual handicap to linger or affect other aspects of my life. I took it as a challenge and with the support of my family and friends I continued with life undaunted. Today I am studying Human Resource Management and Labour Relations at Tata Institute of Social Science.

My education began at blind school named National Association for the Blind, R. K. Puram and I studied in Braille education system. However, I soon moved to normal school when I was in grade III and studied with other children. I guess my visual impairment bowed down before my perseverance and talent.

I am an alumnus of Delhi Public School and St. Stephens College. Sometimes my academic abilities surprise people. When God takes away something He compensates that in more ways than we could imagine. I’ve a sharp memory and my ears have been my allies in my studies. I would listen keenly to my teachers in the school and at home my mother would read aloud my syllabus. I’ve taken advantage of technology and my computer is equipped with a screen reading software called ‘jaws,’ which reads everything that is there on the screen.

I had an active school and college life and participated in a lot of extra-curricular activities, namely—debates, elocution and music competitions held across Delhi University. During my school days I participated in a students exchange programme organized by the British Council in U.K where the students from 128 countries participated. I represented our country.”

What kept me going?

People have asked this so many times. I’ve a strong desire to learn and passion to innovate. A generous dash of enthusiasm helped me sail through several adverse circumstances. Ten years from now I see myself as a successful HR professional.

Message

Life is all about challenges. I learned long time back to make lemonades out of the lemons that life threw at me. I have no complains and I’m happy the way life has shaped up. I’m optimistic about the future and I’m sure it will be better.

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