Navin Gulia, a name, that doesn’t need any introduction..Navin Gulia, a soldier in real sense of the term, a fighter in true sense who has never learnt to give up. “The Man” never surrendered to the circumstances and continued to face the rough challenges of life even after spinal cord injury. He had to remain hospitalized for two years but the spirits remained undaunted. After the recovering he gave a new meaning meaning to his life. He has his name in Limca Book of Records for driving continuously for 55 hrs, crossing seven of the highest mountain passes to reach Marsimik La 18,634 feet, the highest motorable mountain pass in the world. Winner of many other prestigious awards, Navin Gulia is a multiple faceted personality. He is a writer, a poet, a chess champion, loves microlite flying and what not. He is a social worker too and runs an NGO, ADAA, for the welfare of underprivileged children. Since you suffered a spinal cord injury..did it happen while performing your duty in the Army?Yes You spent two years in hospital for treatment and rehabilitation after your injury, what kind of mental status you had while going through all that process? I was as cheerful, as positive, as motivated and as jovial although the times were tough. You did Masters Degree in Computer Management from. Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research after your injury? What made you do so? Computers were the ‘in thing’ in 1997 and a challenging thing to do. I have seen your picture in which you are doing paragliding at 20,000 feet high…what kind of feelings come when you are at such a height? I believe in living life at the extremes. extreme fear, extreme joy, extreme exhilaration. After your injury you dared to drive to the highest mountain pass in the world…what made you decide to do such a daring act? Did you face any difficulty during your trip there? You took 55 hr long driving created a Limca World Record in Rally Driving…please tell us about your experience. I have believed in ‘infinite ability’. I have believed in testing myself for the same and this expedition was a statement of my beliefs…a proof of my existence. You are into social work and have an NGO of your own where you are doing service for the underprivileged children…what made you take the endeavor? I have always identified with the under privileged children and have always wanted to work for them. I have always wanted to work towards the welfare of children as I, myself, identify with the problems of the under-privileged children, their need for love and appreciation, their need of attention, their need for help and their need for opportunities of a possible bright and secure future. When we help a child we brighten up a whole future. Though we have been running ground activities, we are in urgent need for setting up a home for special children who are extreme cases of disability or do not have a family or home. “We should do what ever little good that we can where ever we can in what ever small ways that we can. And not wait for the big good that we always intend to do but never end up doing.” Please tell us about how you help the underprivileged children? See, different children have different needs and needs of every child have to be individually addressed. We at ADAA follow a principle. If a child comes to us, whatever be his needs, we will address the need. Be it clothes, food, medical help, education or disability aids. What kind of feelings you have when you are able to bring smile on somebody’s face? Could there be anything more joyful in this world then to bring joy on children’s faces, to see them happy and to see them achieve their dreams! What message would you like to give to the people with disabilities? People with disabilities? What is that? I only know people with abilities. We should not look at disabilities. whether our own or of others. focus on the abilities. What do you think about Cross the Hurdles? Life is about encountering hurdles and crossing them. It is a great effort to bring out stories of people who have crossed the hurdles and to motivate the people who have still to cross them. |  Navin Gulia Education: BA, B.Sc, M.Sc, UGC NET Lectureship in Computer Applications Quick Fire! Define perfect life in one sentence Be happy, be motivated, be positive and spread the same. Your favorite pass time Wish i had some time to pass. I spend all the time I get with my work and passions. Do you fear anything..if yes then what frightens you I am scared of yellow wasps and cockroaches. Do you any time feel depressed..if yes then what do you do to overcome it Though i am never depressed, I have a list of things to pep up my mood when needed. You write beautiful poems…what inspires you to write them Life inspires me. Life is a miracle of wonder and joy. Which is your favorite adventure sport All-terrain driving. If you get a chance to take birth again, you would like to be reborn as… If there is re-birth, I would always want to be born as Navin even if I have to be in wheelchair all my life. I am glad to be me. On a lighter note, I would not want to be born as Pamella Anderson. Do you believe in God I say you believe when you don’t know whether it is there or not but you want to believe it is. I don’t believe, I know God. The dream which you want to get fulfilled A big and beautiful place for underprivileged children to stay. A home for them. What is your biggest strength My attitude. What is your biggest weakness I don’t know. The most valuable possession you have My attitude. |
Ref: http://www.crossthehurdles.com