KOZHIKODE: The patients at Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department of Kozhikode Medical College hospital would be empathetic and sympathetic to third year medical student Visazo Kikhi when the medical students carry out their morning posts. For, Kikhi is one of them, being an amputee. Nagaland native Kikhi lost his left leg while studying in 8th class. During his first train journey, the train started moving when Kikhi was buying something at a station near Guwahati. The hurry to get into the moving train cost him his left foot.
“My dream to become an Army Officer was aborted. Lying in the hospital bed for months, my world was limited to doctors, nurses and medicines,” he says. But the time also created a zeal to face life with a new vigour. With the pillar like support of Grandfather Daniel Kikhi and doctors, Visazo Kikhi, rose like a phoenix on his prosthetic leg. “I began to cherish a new dream of becoming doctor. I got involved in the activities of ‘The Challenged Ones’ (TCO) NGO started by Major D.P. Singh for amputees,” he recalled. Kikhi cleared the All India Entrance Exam in 2013 and moved to Kozhikode.
“I had other medical colleges to choose from. But a few alumni from CMC, who I chanced to meet on Facebook, persuaded me to join here,” says Kikhi. After three years, he feels his decision was good. He overcame the initial problems with language, food and climate. The interaction with TCO brought to light, Kikhi’s other passion, running. He began to run on his prosthetic leg, fell, rose, ran again and finally managed. In 2015, Visazo Kikhi completed the 5 km run in Kochi Marathon. “Besides wanting to become an Orthopedic Surgeon, I wish to motivate all differently abled people with my life,” the 22-year man says. Confidence personified Kikhi is looking forward to run 10 km at the Kozhikode Marathon to be held at the month-end.
