As far as I remember, I received the first e-mail from Brig PT Gangadharan  (whom I will fondly now refer to as ‘Ganga’ and also to save space) in 2005. I had never met him in service, and his mail came as a ‘forward’. At my request, he put me on his mailing list, and I have been regularly receiving his messages ever since then. What struck me was that he always had something informative or interesting to tell. I soon learnt that he was confined to a wheel chair, settled in Kazikode (old Calicut)

 Gangadharan was confined to the wheel-chair, but was able to reach out to friends all over the world

Indeed, he was able to do all that due to the active support of his wife, Padmaja (standing in the rear)

Two years later, I was destined to visit a school in Neelambur to participate in their annual function and took that opportunity to go to meet Ganga and his wife, Padmaja. The time which I spent with them left me highly impressed with the spirit of a gallant soldier. His story inspired awe, and I shall narrate it briefly.

Ganga was commissioned in the Brigade of the Guards in 1971, and saw action within a few months of his service. During the next 29 years, his service record would be the envy of any soldier. He was an instructor in the Commando Wing, served on the staff of WLD Mil School, Bhutan and was GSO-1 Training at the IMA. On staff he was in the Cabinet Secretariat (Military Wing) and later served in the Integrated Defence Staff. And, indeed, he rose to command an Infantry Brigade. This is where disaster struck. As a one-star general, he was posted on the LoC and there was firing from across the border, in the form of ‘speculative fire’. He suffered a fall of over 200 meters into the ravine and suffered a spinal injury, which left him with paraplegia in the year 2000. Confined to a wheel chair with no control over his legs and bowels, he is dependent on others for all human needs.

I have met many invalid soldiers in my service, but here was someone who was different. There was a positive energy emanating from every part of his body. He had no complaint against the Army or the government for the disability pension and he was not sorry for having joined the army. In fact, I was told that his son is now serving in his own regiment. Despite being confined to the wheelchair, and all the help he needs, he has acquired sufficient skills to make himself useful to the society. He has learnt the art of using the computer and regularly sends out mails to over 700 friends. Indeed, many of his messages are forwarded to others. I have noticed the following features of his mail messages:

• All his mails send out positive vibes.

• He never criticizes any one; dead or alive.

• Ganga never speaks about himself or his family.

• As a good soldier, he is apolitical and totally secular.

Last month, I asked him to tell us something about his life after the accident. As per the Internet, it takes one to three years for a paraplegic to overcome the trauma and come to terms with the invalid state. Our friend took less than four months to get back to active life, and resume his military duties which he continued until his retirement. I find it better to narrate his story in his own words.

Gangadharan remains busy all day. He has not permitted his infirmity to prevent him from rendering service. He derives joy from reaching out to people and sharing their joys and sorrows. I recall that after the 1965 war, all the amputees were sent to the Command Hospital in Pune. It was a pain to see their plight. The artificial limbs of that era were merely wooden ‘legs’ which provided very little mobility, and one saw the victims moving around on crutches. The Air Chief of that period, (Now, Marshal of the Air Force) Arjan Singh came and presented a copy of “Reach for the Sky” which was the story of a double amputee, Group Captain Douglas Bader. I think it was an appropriate gift, because it contained a very positive message.

My own experience has been that physically challenged people should be encouraged to develop skills, and encouraged to render useful service. No amount of money can compensate the loss of useful activity.

See the glow on his face, before the ‘accident’

Gangadharan’s Life, in his own words

This story began on the Ni 28/29 Jan 2000. Having been physically very tough and fit and virtually having walked along almost all the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, J&K in service life, it was very difficult to accept a situation of lifelong immobility. This state still haunts me and I am sure I will walk again, through a miracle. This hope is my driving force. More than me, it is my wife who continues to suffer silently. She has been a vibrant lady with enormous energy packed in her. We used to run together in the morning every day and people envied us. While I was in command, she used to come running with me till the parade ground, with the return route being traversed, all by herself.

And then, disaster struck. Below the chest, he lost all control on his limbs and organs!

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 I suffer pain, spasms, cramps, irritation, constipation, UTI  and bedsores regularly, but I have not yet reconciled to the fact that I cannot walk again. I am totally assisted for everything including turning sides in the bed every two hours to avoid bed sore. The life is tough and difficult, but having been an instructor in Commando Wing, I believe in the credo that “when the going gets tough the tough get going. I do not share my difficulties with anyone. I share only good things with others and do not like to be a burden but a help to others, in any way if possible. I keep myself busy doing something or the other like reading, browsing on internet, writing and e mailing. I have taken to spirituality in a long way. I spent a considerable length of my time in praying and listening to Bible discourses. I silently pray for a lot of people suffering in various forms of difficulties and ailments. Many may not even know that I am praying for them. Though not born or lived as a Christian, I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour for the last 10 years or so. I have not converted into Christianity, but I read Bible regularly and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
As regards my routine, I get up at 6.30 in the morning. While being in the toilet, assisted by my helper for catheterization, brushing, and bath, I also listen to GOD TV broadcast. By about 7.30 I am ready to pray. The prayer and meditation continue till 9am.I have my light Breakfast at 0900 hours. By about 1000 h I usually move out of the house and Padmaja drives the car. We spend about two hours in the HERO Corp show room. I am generally on the computer only but get to meet a lot of people there. This is a real outlet to release tension, though I have no tension now. I like to meet and talk to people. By 1300 we are back, to have lunch. I sit outside the house till 1400h. Every four hours I have to catheterize to avoid UTI. Even then UTI is unavoidable .I get it once in 6 months to 01 yr. Because of uncontrolled bowel movements, eating and drinking habits are strictly regulated as per timings. I eat very little and non vegetarian food is avoided .On an average I spend 4 hours in toilet. I go to bed at about 11pm. I have to get up at 0200am for catheterization.
 I started e-mailing regularly in 2005 and continue to send mail to friends across the globe. I get many calls from known and unknown people about my mail. Generally I edit all mails, before forwarding. I have about 700 people on my regular mailing list. I feel happy to remain in touch with people. Sometimes it becomes difficult to clarify on certain mails, on queries raised by some people. At times I waste a lot of time to search for details and references. I try and satisfy as many people as I can. Quite often, the queries are raised without reading the full contents of the mail.

Have a good look at this picture. You see a father happily jogging with his daughter…

But if you scroll below, you will notice that when you see the complete picture, there is a twist in the tale!

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Scroll just a little more…

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Don’t lose patience, go down further…

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The new limbs have ensured that the smile remains on the faces….

A Tailpiece

A lot has happened in the field of developing ‘intelligent’ limbs. I have heard of an artificial hand which can hold a glass and even a pen and permit the person to use it as well as the natural hand. There is no reason why robotic limbs will not be able to help paraplegics to walk again. The simplest devices which are on the anvil will turn the paraplegics on the bed, to prevent bed-sores. And then, the removal of excreta will be automated, to spare the pain of catherization.

It is my firm belief that the dream of Brig Gangadharan of being able to walk again will come true within his life. Jesus the Saviour will join hands with Ishwar, Bhagwan, Allah, Buddha, Waheguru and Rabbi to perform the Miracle!

This picture is taken from the Internet. Robotic science has already produced systems that can make the Paraplegics walk! 

Contact details of Brig Gangadharan are given below:

Brigadier PTGangadharan, Veteran; Padmaganga, Near Chinmaya Vidhyalaya Thondayad, PO. Nellikode, Kozhikode- 673016. Tel 0495 2356863, Mob 9447766863.E Mail ID     brigadier.ptgangadharan[at]gmail[dot]com.