Headlong into life

Poornima Iyengar's day begins in the wee hours of the morning as she rushes through her routine to make it to her 8.15-am German intensive c...

Poornima Iyengar8217;s day begins in the wee hours of the morning as she rushes through her routine to make it to her 8.15-am German intensive course. After five hectic hours of class, Poornima is off to M G Road to her job as executive customer care officer. Evening sees her at home, giving French tuition to youngsters while late nights are spent catching up with her homework and translation assignments. A busy enough schedule for anyone, one would think. Especially so if the person in question can only move about in a wheelchair, like Poornima does8230;

The first thought that comes to mind on meeting this spirited and vivacious girl is: Why her?8217; But Poornima herself has stopped asking this question. 8220;I spent many of my growing up years wallowing in self-pity,8221; begins the girl who was struck by polio when she was only 18 months old. 8220;I was born normal. But the anti-polio vaccine given to me came from a defective batch, and I was struck with the disease. Initially, my entire body was affected but after yearsof treatment from various doctors, Dr Merchant from Mumbai cured me to such an extent that I became perfectly normal waist upwards.8221;

Nevertheless, most schools refused her admission on the grounds of her handicap, thus sowing the seeds of the complex that plagued her through most of her schooling years. Ultimately, it was St Mira8217;s English Medium School that opened its gates for her, complete with an attendant to see to her throughout the day. 8220;Till about Std VIII, I would feel miserable about my condition. Then I went to Bangalore for further treatment. That was the turning point in my life. I saw thousands of people whose condition was worse than mine. That8217;s when I thanked God, for probably the first time in my life,8221; she continues.

8220;Then onwards, I never looked back. I just looked ahead, at what I wanted to achieve. And my family always stood by my side, encouraging me at whatever I wanted to do. But mind you, I was never pampered! My siblings and I were guided by the same rules. This is what allparents with a handicapped child must do 8211; do not overprotect! Just help the child realise his innate potential,8221; she advises.

After her BA from Fergusson College, Poornima completed her masters in French from the University of Pune. Alongside, she also did a course in fashion designing and even held a few exhibitions. 8220;Though I love this field, I was not encouraged by the designers with whom I wanted to work.8221; But before Poornima could begin to feel disheartened, she was offered the post of customer care officer by Harish Dhote, a dealer for ATamp;T and a former classmate from her marketing management course.

8220;Languages, however, continue to remain my first love,8221; says the girl, who alongwith French and German has also learnt Urdu, primarily because of her passion for ghazals. 8220;I want to start my own translation bureau in Pune, and since the more languages one knows the better it is in this business, I am now pursuing German too,8221; she adds.

Despite having overcome the handicap to a great extent,you wonder just how independent is Poornima in her day-to-day life. 8220;Independent enough to be able to live alone,8221; she replies immediately. 8220;I have even gone to Delhi and France on my own and stayed there without any problems. What has helped me surmount everyday difficulties has been my ability to make friends easily and the fact that I am never ashamed to ask for help,8221; she smiles.

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An amateur painter and an enthusiastic cook, Poornima today has left behind all the bitterness she may have once felt about her condition, replacing it with optimism and a zest for life.

8220;However, my parents are worried about what will become of me once they are gone. My mother hopes that I will be married one day. Here, I8217;d like to draw attention to the attitude of people. Despite all our progressive8217; thinking, why is it still felt that a handicapped person doesn8217;t have the right to choose? Is it necessary that one handicapped individual must marry another handicapped person? If both face the same problem, the end willbe sheer frustration! So don8217;t take away our right to choose. Personally, I8217;m in no hurry to tie the knot, I8217;m waiting for my Mr Right!8221; she concludes emphatically.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More