No one can predict the future. Santosh Gawas too couldn’t. A fit and fine boy, he met with an accident when he was a teenager that changed the track of his life forever. The after effects of the accident could be experienced later, as he now has a short limb. “Due to the accident that occurred in 1994 I cannot stand for more than five minutes, cannot run or fold my leg,” shares Santosh, who is working as MTS in Animal Husbandry department for the past 10 years.
Facing all challenges, he mastered many sports, and won medals in swimming, table tennis, badminton, lawn tennis, carom and cricket. Sitting on his wheelchair he even participated in cultural performances like Mando, Mussal and Goff dance with a team of PwDs in the Purple Fest, which was a feat witnessed in Goa for the first time.
Travelling back in time Santosh recalls his accident. He was in ITI Honda studying air-conditioning, refrigerator, oven and washing machine technology. He used to move on a bicycle in the village. One evening he met with an accident and hurt himself. There was an injury to the hip bone and a nerve. The doctors assured that it will heal over time. Santosh continued with ITI. But gradually the nerve began to shrink, impacting the leg’s height, making it short by an inch.
Nevertheless, he continued his activities. While practicing martial arts, the same leg got stretched, resulting in excruciating pain. Rest helped. But then he slipped and fell off a bus, again hurting the same leg. The pain didn’t recede. A private doctor gave him an injection of which Santosh got a reaction. By midnight his body was swollen all over, making his condition critical.
“Also, there was fire in my stomach. I kept drinking water non-stop. I was taken to a doctor at Ponda. He gave me a very expensive anti-allergy injection and advised me to go to GMC immediately. There I was in ICU for 13 days, and had respiratory issues. Finally after a fortnight I was home. I opted for Ayurvedic treatment to reduce my issues. Standing with a load, or squatting was not possible. I had to sleep on my stomach. Life became hell. The worsened illness took me into depression. Suicidal thoughts began to haunt. I wanted to die to end my helplessness,” admits Santosh.
Then an inner voice from within, gave him strength. He shed negative thoughts, took an iron stick and tried walking, limping. He tried massage therapy, and began to walk with the help of crutches. He also began cycling as exercise to the weakened muscles of the leg. Till now, he had no job. A friend Govind Paryekar, who worked in North Goa District Hospital, suggested that he should get a certificate for his disability, and search for a job. So Santosh procured the certificate. Now he was eligible to apply for a job on the basis of his 40% disability.
Finally his luck opened up. And a talathi in the local panchayat, Rupesh Palkar helped him fill the form and post. Santosh succeeded in this attempt, and got a job as MTS in the Animal Husbandry department where he has been working for a decade now. Expressing gratitude towards Dr Nitin Naik, director of Animal Husbandry, Dr Rajesh Kenny, deputy director & MD of Meat Complex, and assistant directors “ Dr Harsh Bathini, Dr Narendra Naik and Dr Yogesh Naik, and veterinary officers “ Dr Edison Thomas D'sa and Dr Gayatridas Gauthankar, he adds that the officials have always been helpful and considerate, especially whenever he is participating in any sports activity. “It is a pleasure to work with them,” he says.
Looking back, Santosh who is married and has a son, and a daughter, remembers how he was rejected several times because he had a disability and no job. “My friend Sanjay Dhuri took initiative for my marriage,” quips a thankful Santosh.
Recently, he had to undergo surgery as the weakened hip bone was desiccated and had to be replaced. There was a gap in the hip joint and infection spread. Now a cement joint has replaced the hip joint. Life moves on until in 2023 Santosh meets Vishant Nagvenkar, a motivator, who inspires him to indulge in sports activities.
“I now swim, play table tennis, badminton, lawn tennis and carrom. I am also in the Wheelchair Cricket team of Goa, and last year played in the Purple Fest. We also have a group of persons with disabilities, who have leg issues. Some have polio, others have lost their leg in an accident, still others whose leg has to be amputated due to some ailment, some have spinal cord injury and have short limbs, just like me. We all come together to celebrate our differences, and play together as one team, to win the game in the playground of life,” concludes Santosh.
