Shilpa Mehta Jain was born and introduced up in Mumbai, however her household had sturdy roots in Sanchore, a small village in Rajasthan. So, despite the fact that being a girl with a incapacity was by no means a twofold blow for her, that wasn’t how her prolonged household and society considered her rising up.
“After I was at school, folks used to inform my father to cease spending cash on my schooling. The college payment was round eight rupees a month on the time. They’d categorical pity in the direction of my father and inform him that he’ll want extra dowry to get me married as I used to be disabled,” the 43-year-old tells The Higher India.
Recognized with scoliosis (Polio) when she was two months outdated, Shilpa grew up with 94 p.c post-polio syndrome which affected her decrease limbs.
“Sure, I’m disabled. So what? I’m able to doing so many different issues. I made a decision that ‘Boss, I’ve to do one thing to make my mother and father proud!’,” she says.
Working brick by brick
As a baby, Shilpa had no pals at school. She couldn’t play or accompany her classmates to the playground. It was solely throughout the psychological talent competitions, which have been fairly restricted, that she would get any accolades or affection from academics. So she realised early on that schooling was the important thing to success.
Regardless of the mammoth bodily setback of residing with polio, she set foot on an bold journey with grit, ardour, and willpower. Shilpa secured 82 p.c in Class 10 and 75 p.c in Class 12.
She additional proved her mettle by changing into a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2001. She cleared all three ranges of CA, thought of probably the most difficult examinations, in her first try. She additionally accomplished MCom and MBA.
However whereas pursuing the aggressive examination when she went to enrol herself for articleship, she was rejected by many companies regardless of being good in teachers. “The one cause I used to be rejected was my incapacity. Articles have to go to different shoppers for audit. So, in my resume, I’d point out that I can journey independently. Usually, nobody has to say this,” she remembers. Lastly, she acquired the articleship from a reference.
Shilpa labored laborious to construct a lifetime of dignity one brick at a time.
Driving to Swimming, Paragliding
She additionally pursued various different pursuits — reminiscent of driving, swimming, trekking, paragliding, and kayaking with none help.
“I needed to skip faculty when my driver wouldn’t come. I believed this could not hinder my schooling. I can’t be depending on anyone. I began studying to drive a two-wheeler and later a four-wheeler,” says Shilpa.
“My husband used to introduce me to every kind of sports activities. For him, my incapacity didn’t matter,” she provides.
Like every other individual, she wished to be bodily match. So, in 2018, she determined to study to swim. However at each stage of life, she was reminded of her incapacity.
“I had a tricky time getting courses as nobody would enable me to swim. After six months of resistance, I went to a membership and put my foot down. I informed the coach if he didn’t educate me how one can swim, I’d keep proper there. Realising there was no approach to kick me out, he requested me to come back within the afternoon batch in peak summer season months,” she remembers.
“I took that batch. On the primary day, we have been 40 folks; all 39 stood at one facet, and I stood alone. I nonetheless keep in mind the type of seems I acquired; everybody was gossiping. Nevertheless, inside seven days, I realized to swim whereas others struggled to even get into the water. I’ve now swam in rivers and oceans,” she provides.
In the meantime, the angle of individuals in the direction of her began altering as soon as she turned a CA. “After I began driving a scooter, nobody would sit behind me. However after I acquired the diploma and cleared CA, folks would typically ask me to go for a journey to have ice cream,” laughs Shilpa, including, “All the things modified from the best way they speak to me to the best way they communicate to my father about me.”
To assist 100 individuals with disabilities
On 10 January this yr, Shilpa was awarded the ICAI award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for her diligent and wonderful skilled achievements. On account of receiving the popularity, Shilpa pledged to financially assist 100 folks with disabilities to pursue their CA within the subsequent 10 years.
“This award is a testimonial that after you show your self, the world will finally acknowledge your capabilities,” she says, including, “After I acquired the award, many individuals congratulated me. I realised I’ve achieved a lot; why shouldn’t I give one thing again to society? I ought to try to assist these like me [people with disabilities] in getting articleship and publicity…and leverage my community for his or her profit.”
A day after receiving the award, Shilpa began a scholarship known as ‘Shantilal Mehta Scholarship’ in her father’s identify. She devoted Rs 10 lakh of her financial savings in the direction of this. Thus far, she has recognized three impoverished visually-impaired individuals from Rajasthan’s Alwar, whom she goes to assist financially to pursue CA.
“There are a lot of folks like me who begin their profession, however at a sure level, they don’t get sufficient alternatives. That’s the reason you’ll not discover folks with disabilities holding larger posts. As an individual with a incapacity, you could have to wrestle extra in comparison with others, however in case you have capabilities nothing can cease you,” says Shilpa.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
