Dibrugarh: It's not surprising that people, in today's day and age, are engrossed in modern and consumerist social life. For an ordinary man, dreaming of a comfortable and wealthy life, a cut-throat competition is the only way to survive every day. However, what about people who are handicapped? Adding to the usual struggles is the burden of physical shortcomings that make their lives even more difficult.
However, most often these heroes fight hard and teach us the power of will and resilience. Such is the story of a man from Khowang who has overcome his physical constraints and achieved his dream despite being on a crutch.
Karnajit Bora (Akon) from Katakipukhuri in Assam led a moderately comfortable life with his wife and kid before losing one of his legs after falling from a tree 10 years ago. The accident, which almost jeopardised his life took away his limb but could not demean his spirit and resilience.
With indomitable courage in his heart, he decided to run his impoverished family by farming on one leg and crutch on the other. Ignoring his physical restrictions, Akon started paddy cultivation on a 12-bigha land he owned near the Buri Dihing River embankment.
Initially cultivating paddy, he later opted for rabi crops such as pumpkins, bottle gourds, and black lentil mustard. Speaking to ETV Bharat about his financial struggles Akon said that he received no assistance from the government despite several pleas.
"I had appealed to the government to allot me a house. I get an aid of only Rs 1,250 under the Deen Dayal Divyangjan Pension Scheme which does not meet my family's daily requirements. Therefore I cultivate crops and sell them at the market to make ends meet,” he said.
The objective of the Deen Dayal Divyangjan Pension Scheme is to provide a monthly pension of ₹1,000/- to each differently-abled person to take care of their health.
Speaking about his passion for farming, Akon asserted that the upcoming generation must not feel ashamed to take up farming as a career option. He said, “It will be commendable if the upcoming generation takes up farming as it will make them self-reliant. If I can do it, why cannot they?"
With a never-say-die attitude, Akon has touched the lives of hundreds, inspiring people of his region to turn their dreams into reality by overcoming their obstacles.
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