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Photos: Ahead of World Disability Day, Mumbai’s heroes claim the city

Just ahead of World Disability Day, HT photographer Kunal Patil photographs incredible achievers in Mumbai, hardly letting their physical impairment come in the way of their passion for life.

Updated on: Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM IST

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Vinod Rawat at Versova beach in Mumbai, with his cycle. “A truck ran over me when I was six. I was hospitalised and because of a sum that my parents could not arrange in time, I lost one of my limbs in a botched up operation that resulted in an amputation,” he said. Today he’s an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Vinod Rawat at Versova beach in Mumbai, with his cycle. “A truck ran over me when I was six. I was hospitalised and because of a sum that my parents could not arrange in time, I lost one of my limbs in a botched up operation that resulted in an amputation,” he said. Today he’s an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Mahendra Pitale with his bike at Versova, Mumbai. Pitale lost his left hand in the blast at Jogeshwari station in 2006 in Mumbai. Currently employed with the railways, Pitale now rides a Royal Enfield Bullet for various causes using his artificial arm. He joined the bullet club and started cross-country tours, spreading awareness about organ donation and cancer. He also finds time to counsel those impaired by accidents and disease. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Mahendra Pitale with his bike at Versova, Mumbai. Pitale lost his left hand in the blast at Jogeshwari station in 2006 in Mumbai. Currently employed with the railways, Pitale now rides a Royal Enfield Bullet for various causes using his artificial arm. He joined the bullet club and started cross-country tours, spreading awareness about organ donation and cancer. He also finds time to counsel those impaired by accidents and disease. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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When Vibhas Sen was diagnosed with polio as a boy, his family never expected him to find his way into sports. In early 2017, Sen was ranked 35th internationally in the men’s sabre category. In addition to training, he works as the senior manager of digital marketing for PNB MetLife Insurance India and serves on the committees for the Maharashtra Paralympic Swimming Association, Mumbai Fencing Association and Wheelchair Fencing Federation of India. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

When Vibhas Sen was diagnosed with polio as a boy, his family never expected him to find his way into sports. In early 2017, Sen was ranked 35th internationally in the men’s sabre category. In addition to training, he works as the senior manager of digital marketing for PNB MetLife Insurance India and serves on the committees for the Maharashtra Paralympic Swimming Association, Mumbai Fencing Association and Wheelchair Fencing Federation of India. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Nisha Gupta has won accolades for the country at the International Wheelchair Basketball Championship in July. In May 2004, Gupta sustained severe injuries to the head and spinal cord after she fell down while plucking mangoes. However, by December 2015, she won the bronze medal at the National Wheelchair Basketball championship and earlier this year was recognized as one of the top five most promising female players at the international competition in Bali. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Nisha Gupta has won accolades for the country at the International Wheelchair Basketball Championship in July. In May 2004, Gupta sustained severe injuries to the head and spinal cord after she fell down while plucking mangoes. However, by December 2015, she won the bronze medal at the National Wheelchair Basketball championship and earlier this year was recognized as one of the top five most promising female players at the international competition in Bali. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Pratik Gupta lost his leg when he was three. Despite several hardships, Gupta is not only a proficient wheelchair-cricketer, but also a national level paralympic swimmer. A resident of Agripada in Mumbai, Gupta has participated in several inter-school swimming competitions for the disabled, bagging silver and bronze medals. At 24, Gupta is now imparting his knowledge to physically disabled children about how to swim. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Pratik Gupta lost his leg when he was three. Despite several hardships, Gupta is not only a proficient wheelchair-cricketer, but also a national level paralympic swimmer. A resident of Agripada in Mumbai, Gupta has participated in several inter-school swimming competitions for the disabled, bagging silver and bronze medals. At 24, Gupta is now imparting his knowledge to physically disabled children about how to swim. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Monika More, a social worker and student, in Bandra, by the sea link. The 18 year-old lost her both hands in railway accident after she slipped in the gap between the local train and platform. Later, she received artificial hands and cleared her HSC exams with 63 per cent. She now works in creating awareness about the dangers of boarding a moving train and also crossing unmanned tracks. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Monika More, a social worker and student, in Bandra, by the sea link. The 18 year-old lost her both hands in railway accident after she slipped in the gap between the local train and platform. Later, she received artificial hands and cleared her HSC exams with 63 per cent. She now works in creating awareness about the dangers of boarding a moving train and also crossing unmanned tracks. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Mohammad Shams Aalam (a paraplegic Indian swimmer) at Worli seaface in Mumbai. Aalam broke his previous record as he swam eight kilometres into the open sea in Goa. The beginning of his condition started as back pain, which quickly graduated to incapacitation, as doctors discovered a tumour in his spine. “It has not been an easy climb but with encouragement and support from family and friends, and a lot of struggle at my end, I achieved what I set to do,” he said. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Mohammad Shams Aalam (a paraplegic Indian swimmer) at Worli seaface in Mumbai. Aalam broke his previous record as he swam eight kilometres into the open sea in Goa. The beginning of his condition started as back pain, which quickly graduated to incapacitation, as doctors discovered a tumour in his spine. “It has not been an easy climb but with encouragement and support from family and friends, and a lot of struggle at my end, I achieved what I set to do,” he said. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Adil Ansari was like any other teenager, hopeful of a bright future, but he was left paralysed under the neck after fracturing his spine in an accident in 2002. It took him three years to recover but he took it in his stride and turned his attention to paralympic sports. Now an archer, he’s won gold in the wheelchair event at the 2016 First Senior Para Recurve, Compound & Indian Round National Archery Championship. He represented India in the World Para Archery Championship in Beijing in September this year. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Adil Ansari was like any other teenager, hopeful of a bright future, but he was left paralysed under the neck after fracturing his spine in an accident in 2002. It took him three years to recover but he took it in his stride and turned his attention to paralympic sports. Now an archer, he’s won gold in the wheelchair event at the 2016 First Senior Para Recurve, Compound & Indian Round National Archery Championship. He represented India in the World Para Archery Championship in Beijing in September this year. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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Roshanjahan Shaikh lost both her legs in a railway accident eight years ago, but she pursued her dream of becoming a doctor. After clearing her MBBS with a first class and interning with KEM Hospital in Mumbai, she’s taken a small break, her next aim being a good post graduate degree in medicine. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 03, 2017 4:07 PM

Roshanjahan Shaikh lost both her legs in a railway accident eight years ago, but she pursued her dream of becoming a doctor. After clearing her MBBS with a first class and interning with KEM Hospital in Mumbai, she’s taken a small break, her next aim being a good post graduate degree in medicine. (Kunal Patil / HT Photo)

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