The face of wheelchair tennis in India, quadriplegic HARRY BONIFACE PRABHU tells KARTHIK RAMAN how the sport has changed his life and helped him keep going even at age 44. He also talks about the K2K expedition which he undertook to spread the need for creating a disabled friendly India
When making a name for yourself in a single sport is such a herculean task, imagine doing that in six disciplines that too with a botched up lumbar puncture which makes a person quadriplegic. That's what makes the magnitude of achievement by Boniface Prabhu.
The tragedy struck him at age four. It was even difficult for him balance his body. "My hands, my fingers and my legs are non-functional and I don't have a proper balance," the wheelchair tennis player says. However, that hasn't stopped him from realising his dream.
Unlike other children, he was not able to go to regular school because his parents were afraid of the bullies. "My parents were worried that other children would make fun of me, tease me or push me down. I am fortunate to be in a family that is very protective and caring towards me," he says, adding that "I missed school days which kind of let me take up sports."
The turning point, however, came when he was doing his diploma in database management. "I used to do goalkeeping in football and wicket keeping in cricket. I was playing with normal people. But when I was doing my diploma and my instructor saw my potential he said: 'Bonnie you should focus more on para-sports, it will definitely help you with your potential and you can bring glory and honour to the country.' That changed my perception towards sport. He said 'Bonnie you have potential but you won't enjoy playing it (with able-bodied people) for a longer time, so focus on your own sports'" he recalls.
He went on to represent India in an astonishing six disciplines - Shotput, discus, javelin, table tennis, wheel-chair tennis and badminton.
What made him to take up so many sportsIJ
"Sports is within me - that's why I was able to represent India in 6 disciplines," he says.
The pioneer of wheelchair tennis in India, Boniface believes sports are an excellent form of rehabilitation, especially for the disabled people. "Rehabilitation is very good in the form of sports. Despite being a quadriplegic, if I am able to drive and do so many things, it's because I am a sportsman. I am continuously playing. It's not like I am practising for a month or two and then I take a break. I have to play throughout the year. I have to be active and I have to be fit. As I am a quadriplegic, it really helps me," he explained.
After numerous medals in various disciplines, Bonnie, who is a father and a husband, is still going strong at age 44. What is the mantra behind itIJ "Sports itself, I love sports, I love playing sports," he says.
However, not every disabled person is able to go as far as Bonnie. He believes that's so because there is a huge communication gap between the able-bodied and disabled body people.
"There is not human touch. If we can work and if we can educate them then there is nothing like it," he says.
In order to spread awareness and create a disabled friendly-country, Bonnie recently went on 5,430 km Thums Up Veer Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) expedition from November seventh to December eight, an expedition which he says "is nothing but talk together, walk together and see together."
Going into detail, he says, "Imagine, I am a hearing impaired or a mute person, if you try to talk to me, I can never talk to you. So what will you do, you are going to learn sign language. I am on a wheel chair and if you want me to take me for coffee or to a place of worship, then what is requiredIJ Accessibility like a ramp so that we walk together. Imagine a visually challenged person, you hold his hand, you touch and you make him feel the mug, a cup of coffee or a juice. So you help them to see," Prabhu explains.
Awarded the Padma Shri in 2014, Bonifice wants to encourage sign language so that able-bodies and disabled body people can communicate easily. "I am encouraging and educating sign language. I visited so many people and places. There is so much potential. The awareness level is less. When I spoke to them in sign language they were all so excited."
Prabhu wants sign language in regular school and college curricula. "I am praying and hoping that my dream and my team support will be successful one day," says an optimistic Bonnie.
Prabhu, who visited 14 cities in the span of 30 days, was driving in a car, accompanied by two more people to spread awareness.
"It was a small, humble step for a better India." For the disabled persons to achieve their dream, Bonnie would like to see a proper base being set in place to achieve goals.
"But in this journey, you need to have a platform. You need to have a base. If you don't have the base, you stop pursing your dream. That is where my team comes up with project veer," he tells you. "You need inclusion. Inclusion is very important. The first thing that comes to people's minds about the disabled is sympathy. We don't need sympathy, we need opportunity. That is where my team believes that changes are taking place. I tell disabled people that playing a sport is a fantastic way of rehabilitation. I am a living example."
He remains hopeful that one day he will get to see a disabled friendly India, with proper access and facilities available equally to everyone.
"Back then, even to enter a competition, I used to write letter, wait for the letter to get confirmed. Even getting a pass or visa for competition used to take months," he recalls. But it is simpler now. A few emails and your job is done. "I wish these facilities were there when I started playing tennis. But slowly things are changing and I hope one day India can be termed as a disabled-friendly country. There may be a day when I might even drive alone to enjoy the success of what is being sown today," Prabhu concludes.