BENGALURU: Over three decades ago, Hosamane Jayaram Shetty was looking at a bright future. He had started his first job as a supervisor at a private construction company in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, after finishing matriculation.
Fate, however, had a different plan. He was rendered immobile below the hip in an accident on September 20, 1992, after a large stone crashed on him, leaving him unconscious for three days. This was while he was monitoring tunnelling work on Konkan Railway.
A series of medical interventions over the next year proved ineffectual, and at the age of 23, Shetty found himself paraplegic and bedridden. This came as a huge shock to the family that ran on a tight budget.
Shetty had to quit his job and return to his village in Kavrady, about 20km from Kundapur in Udupi district, where his parents and sister lived. The family lived in a small house in a remote area, and his medical appointments became a logistical concern. When doctors said there was nothing more they could do, the bright young man almost lost hope.
But after a brief period, Shetty decided to take charge of his life. He started helping people in his neighbourhood. He regularly read newspapers, wrote letters to the authorities on social and civic issues and also took to social media to participate in debates and keep himself updated on his surroundings. The word spread and his network started growing.
For the past three decades, Shetty put together money by selling his property, getting donations from local philanthropists, and accident insurance, but now he is nearly bankrupt. He needs Rs 10,000 per month to continue living, but doesn’t even have enough money to buy medicines and injections.
But despite the trials and tribulations, Shetty is not ready to give up. Most days, he is full of life. But there are occasions when he finds life grossly unfair. However, his biggest support system is his sister’s family. They cook for him, buy him medicines, change his clothes, and most importantly, give him the courage to carry on.
“There is a lot to learn from Shetty as he continues to fight through surgeries and medications. His never-say-die attitude is an inspiring lesson to those who moan over lesser woes,” say some of his friends, who have been seeing him put up a spirited fight.
