Driven by change

Sometimes a tragedy can change your life in ways you never imagined. When Prajith Jayapal, a private sector employee, met with an accident after the tyres on the rear side of his car burst and he lost control of the vehicle, he was diagnosed with a spinal cord compression. The accident affected almost 60 per cent functioning of his body and Prajith was confined to a wheelchair. Though it was a terrible shock initially, Prajith, a Kozhikode native, didn’t allow it to dampen his spirits. Today, this 40-year-old is gearing up to take on a road trip to New Delhi and back, in 50 days.  If you think this is a leisure trip, you’re mistaken. Instead, Prajith has a clear mission. “There are three major reasons why I decided to drive to Delhi. I want to better the lives of those like me.”

“Throughout the journey, I will be visiting major corporate offices, to remind its heads about the promise of job reservation for the disabled in their offices. A few years ago, companies like Wipro announced job reservation for disabled people and I am going to ensure it will be implemented. Requests will also be made to create a space for the disabled, who are equally capable and deserving.” Prajith also plans on meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to air his grievances about accessibility issues that the disabled face. According to Prajith, many places in the country are dubbed as disabled-friendly, but in reality they are not.  

The third major mission is to raise the pension issue, which, at present is given to the needy. For the 80 per cent and above disabled persons, the pension amount is Rs 1,300, whereas those in the category of 80 per cent and below are getting Rs 1,000. “How can a disabled person, who requires a lot of medical facilities, survive with this small amount?” asks Prajith.  He adds, “I will talk to people like me during the journey and help them come out to the mainstream, instead of confining themselves to the four walls of their homes. At the same time, I will also take time to meet successful disabled people, whose lives can definitely inspire hundreds of others in the country.”

A year ago, Prajith, along with the support of his few friends, started Wheelers Club, with an intention of giving people with disabilities a platform to relax and find jobs to live an independent life. “We have around 40 plus members right now and gradually we are trying to build this club to a higher level, by adding more members,” he says.  Prajith will begin his journey to Delhi on April 1. A total of 8,500 kilometres will be covered and for this purpose, his car has been altered. “Normally, it takes only 2,500 kilometers to Delhi, but since I have a lot of plans, I will be visiting different cities and finally reaching Delhi. Also, my health condition permits me to only go slowly,” he says.  Prajith is a self-taught artist and will be gifting a painting of Krishna and Kuchela to the Prime Minister.