Meet the real-life Kakababu

But,“physical disability is something that should be limited to the body only,and should never affect the mind,” believes Shaw,surprisingly agile even at 53. with his instinctive interest for locomotives,Debashis learnt driving at the age of seven. And thus began the journey. “I practically circumnavigate the country on my vehicles,which can be anything ranging from a cycle or a bike to a truck. I have traveled as far as Dhanvad,Bhubaneshwar and Jamshedpur on my cycle,” said Debashis.

With a sound mechanical knowledge of cars,Shaw at times also handles government assignments of transferring cars to destinations as far off as Mumbai,Delhi and Cherapunji. “Whatever I know today,I have learnt on my own initiative. But now I can confidently say that I can even drive a car sitting on the back seat,” he said.

The greatest feats of Shaw’s life had been his bike-trips to Rohtang pass and Kanyakumari. For him,the meaning of life lies in being able to venture out and know the unknown. Even on a normal day,Shaw would take a ride on either his cycle or his bike and go about exploring the nondescript by-lanes of the city. “Half the people do not know the city in which they live for years. So many places remain unexplored,” rues Shaw. So many people go to Mumbai; how many of them bothers to visit Dharavi,asks Shaw. “If one hasn’t explored Dharavi,one doesn’t know anything of Mumbai. Whenever I go there,I hire a cycle and go to Dharavi. It exposes me to a different world where there is so abject poverty that there is no difference between pigs and human beings. But I like exploring this other world,” he says.

Sky is the limit for Shaw,who wanted as a child wanted to be an aviator. “I have no ties and can set out any moment. I just love adventure. I have no pre-plans,” he says,adding,“Once I decided on my whim,and visited Port Blair on cycle. It was an extraordinary experience. I risked my safety and went to the deepest interiors and got to see the jarwas from a very close proximity.”

debashis lives for his adventures and earns for his adventures. All his trips are self-funded,and whenever he decides to embark on a mega road-trip,he starts saving accordingly. Debashis as the moment is busy collecting fund for a long bike-trip to Ladakh,which he plans to make in the summer of 2011. “i can’t stay away from adventure for long. before that I will take a trip with my other biker friends to the 250 km of new beaches along Digha. I still haven’t explored Mandarmani or any other new beach of that area. It is high time I did so,” he says.

While I stand in one corner,seeing him off,Shaw rides his bike,getting ready to ride all the way back home. Suddenly he turns around and asks me,“Like everybody even you must be thinking that how can I,one who can’t even walk,can ride this bike?” pointing at his Bullet. “But,once you see me behind the wheels you wouldn’t believe your own eyes. Actually,in my mind,I am not handicapped. I was,I am and will always remain hundred per cent fit,” he signs off.