My Quest for Freedom – Baby Steps (#OSME Challenge)

It seems no attainment seemed to have satisfied my soul. Being legally blind (gradually deteriorating sight over the years due to MD), I seemed to have always inclined toward choosing the not-so-normal options in life.

During my days at high school (2001-2005) at JPM, I was destined to go for regular teacher/banker/government job career options (as most blind folks would in those days), but I got introduced to computers after 10th exams (in which I topped my class) during summer vacation, when by sheer luck (or divine grace), because of the strong favor of my father, we got a 35k desktop PC and I got enrolled into basic computer training (Microsoft Office and internet) at AICB.

I used to have a bit better sight at that time (I guess 10-15 percent at most of what’s normal) and enjoyed building PowerPoint slides for few months with music and motion effects. It really helped in discovering and expressing my creative zeal via computers. I’m attaching those three presentations:

Mission To Mars, Our Nature, Our Solar System (you should view these in PowerPoint – can download and play, as otherwise the music and other effects would likely be missing in online mode).

IN October 2004, I wrote a short novel/story (about 30 or so pages) or rather a script, as I’d call it, for Hollywood movie – named Death of Sun – and got it copyrighted seriously :). The plot is several million years in future wherein human beings are already settle on many planets within and beyond our solar system. The death of our beloved star – Sun – is near and scientists devise a plan to save mother Earth – the first planet from where the human race evolved into the current inter-planetary civilization. It’s still waiting for a producer to create a movie out of it 🙂 (maybe I should reproduce that on this platform – how’s the idea?)

As you could see, space has been more prominent in my creation – be it presentations or the first story I wrote – because space always fascinated me. I could have been an astronomer I thought had it not been to my visual impairment. I used to keenly watch, every space program I happened to know about, telecasted on the Discovery channel (before I went to hostel in high school).

“A blind person has no future in computers.” A classmate (who is still a good friend) said to me in the class while we were discussing about opting a course on programming called Informatic Practices in 11th Standard. Our senior class was the first to opt this course, and that’s how my interest in computers had ignited.

I didn’t give any reaction at that time verbally. But, my sweet lord registered the statement and as the providence would have it, I’d end up building a good career as a software developer, working in the giant like Microsoft and later building a business that’d generate a million dollar plus wealth achieving financial independence for me and my family.

To be continued in the next entry.

Sriman Narayan

Next entry (Toddler Toddling)

Note: I’ve narrated incidents as per what I can recall and it’s likely possible that some facts/timelines have errors in them. I seek forgiveness of the divine – your child is full of flaws – lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego … I have in infinite quantity oh infinite my Sri Hari, nevertheless, you are my everything and I’m your child!

This write-up was inspired by this post. Happy independence day to all of you! May my nation attain to its ancient glory – this is the most opportune moment. Swamiji is walking on this planet in flesh and bones.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ७ ॥
परित्राणाय साधुनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।
धर्मसंस्थानार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ८ ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya, glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. (BG 4.7-8)

Listen a powerful composition of it from the popular Mahabharat serial (gives me goose bumps).

Edit on 25Aug: Fixed “a million dollar plus business” to “a business that’d generate a million dollar plus wealth” (as the former means an annual revenue which isn’t correct), and grammar.