Standing tall
Artist Sheela at work
Impossible is nothing. A conversation with Rajinder Johar will reveal why. Bedridden for the last 26 years, doctors have declared him 100 per cent disabled. But the 64-year-old is a perfect picture of resilience.
Johar, who was an occupational therapist at Lucknow’s King George Medical College, recalls that tragic night in 1986, when he was hit by a bullet on his spine and rendered quadriplegic. He was confined to bed for life.
“What had to happen happened. No point discussing ifs and buts,” he says.
After undergoing treatment for five years, Johar decided to begin a new life. He founded the Family of Disabled (FOD), a Delhi-based NGO that works towards making the disabled self-reliant. He started with art as the medium.
Through his initiative, “Beyond Limits”, he provides a platform to physically and intellectually challenged artists to showcase and sell their works. “We began with one artist and a few greeting cards and today have a database of hundreds of artists from across the country. We conduct a full-fledged annual art exhibition,” he says.
The initiative enjoys the patronage of eminent artists like Arpana Kaur and Sudip Roy. But that’s not all he does. “A disabled person is often mistreated by his family and seen as a burden. Our idea is to reach the weaker socio-economic sections of the society and create employment opportunities for them. They can have a life of dignity only if they are earning,” he says.
After making an assessment of their disability and interests, the organisation helps these people set up business under their initiative, Apna Rozgar. In order to generate funds for their six running projects, the organisation collects waste material with the help of pick-up vans from different parts of the city.
“I also want to work on education and vocational training of the disabled,” says Johar, adding that he enjoys his work.
“I silenced my detractors when I asked them, ‘Is there anything in it for me to lose?’ All I want is to put my experience and knowledge to some good use and live a meaningful life,” he says.
Johar’s 29-year-old daughter Preeti, inspired by his determination, is taking his work forward. The duo wants to re-start his magazine, Voice, which was the first magazine on the issue and had to be discontinued for lack of funds.
“We haven’t been able to get government funding and the reason is simply that there is a lot of running around involved, which I certainly can’t do,” says Johar, who has won several awards, including the Helen Keller award.
“Had it not been for this cause and organisation, I am sure I would not have survived for long,” he says.
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