Paraplegic set for wheelchair run to reach out to drought-hit

Before and during his journey,he will be approaching businessmen and political leaders,appealing for funds that he intends to pass on to a drought-affected village. From April 13,he will be covering 42 km non-stop everyday,from 6 am to 9.30 am. He will be accompanied by his physiotherapist Dr Chintan Kataria. The entire run will be videographed.

“In foreign countries,it is very common for paraplegics to attempt this kind of races. Hence,I decided to give it a try. The aim is not to flaunt my achievement but to use it for a good cause,” says 29-year-old Kumbhar,who met with a road accident on August 20,2006,in Daund while travelling with his friends in a car. He had been completely bedridden for about four years,till he started taking treatment at Sancheti Hospital.

With regular treatment and physiotherapy,he has recovered over the past two years. “Now,I can perform my routine jobs independently,” said Kumbhar,who is educated till Class X from Pune’s Pratibhatai Pawar High School.

From the last two months,Kumbhar has been practising wheelchair run under the guidance of Dr Shikha Maheshwari and Dr Gajanan Bhalerao. “They gave me tips on building stamina without causing too much stress on my legs,” he said.

According to Dr Kataria,Kumbhar is physically fit for the wheelchair run. “Dragging the wheelchair on the road requires a lot of energy. Besides,he will have to manoeuver the chair as per the traffic. Since it is summer time,we need to make sure he doesn’t get dehydrated,” said Dr Kataria.

In the past too,Kumhar has attempted a marathon covering 42.5 km between December 3 and December 14. On March 20,he was given a certificate and a trophy from the World Records India for Complete Full Marathon as Differently Able.

For collecting funds for drought-affected areas,Kumbhar has created a separate bank account,where those willing to contribute can transfer the amount.

“After we pass on the amount to a drought-affected village,we will make a film on how the money was used,whether to buy fodder for animals or to dig a well. People who are contributing for the cause should get complete confidence that their money won’t be misused,” explained Kumbhar,adding that he would leave for Kolhapur,along with his team,on April 12 in a four-wheeler.