Urbanized Greyhound
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2010
- Messages
- 2,067
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
I HAVE SEEN BOTH HEAVEN AND HELL ---- PREETHI SRINIVASAN
Former cricket champ Preethi Srinivasan was denied admission into the University of Madras for a distance education course after an unfortunate accident left her quadriplegic for life. Srinivasan who's fighting a lone battle has also started an organisation to help people like her get a fair chance at life. Read on to find out all about this wonder achiever's inspiring story so far.
Seventeen years ago, Preethi Srinivasan was the Under-19 Tamil Nadu state cricket team captain. She was also an accomplished swimmer.
Today, she is a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair, needing her mother's help for everything in her day-to-day life. But her disability hasn't dampened her fighting spirit.
Srinivasan has recently launched Soulfree, an organisation that aims to be the strength, voice and face of all those with spinal cord injuries.
In this interview, which lasted almost two hours, Preethi speaks about her yesterday, her today and her dreams for tomorrow.
Read Preethi Srinivasan's story in her own words:
It was a fairytale childhood
An only child, I was born nine years after my parents' marriage. I am happy I was born out of their union as they were so much in love.
I had a fairytale childhood.
I was born in Chennai but we travelled a lot. I studied in nine different schools, across three different continents, as my father was transferred to different places every year.
I completed my schooling in the US.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link :
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CRICKET IS IN MY BLOOD
The 1983 World Cup was my introduction to cricket.
I was just four years old, but I supported the West Indies as I was a big fan of Vivian Richards. So fascinated was I with the game that, at the age of seven, I went to a cricket camp that was organised for around 300 boys.
There, the boys were scared to bowl to me as I used to hit the ball so hard. I also bowled fast but slowly became a leg spinner.
I was so good in the game that I was selected to play for the Tamil Nadu State Women's cricket team at the age of eight. I don't think anybody has achieved this distinction. As I was the only child in the team, the other members would wash my clothes and take care of me.
I still remember the match against Indian Railways that had Diana Edulji. I was 12 then and was asked to open with Hema Malini, who is the current coach of the Tamil Nadu team. She was 11 years older than me. Later, I lifted Diana to the mid-wicket boundary!
I cherish these memories fondly; they will never fade.
I thoroughly enjoyed playing cricket. It was my passion. As an only child, it gave me the chance to be a part of a group.
The best days of my life were travelling with my team by train for tournaments. We used to sing, dance and make merry.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IT WAS MY FATHER"S DREAM TO BE A SWIMMER,HE FULFILLED IT THROUGH ME.
A swimmer at age three
I started playing cricket at the age of four, but I began swimming a year earlier!
I learnt swimming for my father.
It was his dream to be a swimmer and I guess he fulfilled his dream through me.
I stood first in the state in the 50 m breaststroke; in all the other events, I was second.
Though I didn't enjoy swimming much, the sport helped me develop strong shoulder muscles.
Once, when we practised cricket for the state team at the beach, many were surprised to see me throw the ball from the boundary straight to the wicket keeper's gloves.
The onlookers didn't know I was only eight, they thought I was a short woman.
They were shouting (West Indian Augustine) Logie, Logie, as he was very short!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN GRADE 12 I WAS IN THE WHO'S WHO OF AMERICA'S LIST
I dreamt of Princeton
When we moved to the US, I had to leave cricket behind. But I was soon part of the softball and swimming teams.
I was good in whatever I did, including academics.
In grade 12, I was in the Who's Who of America's list, which names the country’s top two per cent students.
If I wanted, I would have joined any Ivy League school. Which, in a way, is such an irony.
Today, I am finding it difficult to join a university's distance education programme.
If we had stayed there, I would have gone to Princeton.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I WAS INTERVIEWED ON DOORDARSHAN
Captaining the Under 19 cricket team
In 1997, I returned to India mainly because I wanted to continue playing cricket.
There was this Under-19 national cricket tournament that was scheduled to take place and I was the captain of the U-19 state team.
We won the nationals and it was a big thing for all of us!
I was interviewed on Doordarshan; I still have the taped interview with me.
I have no doubt that, in a couple of years, I would have played for India. But fate had other plans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MOMENT MY FACE WENT UNDER WATER, A SHOCK WENT THROUGH MY BODY
In a split second, everything was over
The first 18 years of my life was like a fairytale; I feel have seen both heaven and hell in this life.
I joined the five-year consolidated MBA course in Chennai so that I could continue playing cricket while my parents stayed back in the US.
On July 7, 1998, just a week before my second year at college was to begin, we students went on an excursion to Pondicherry.
On our way back, we decided to play in a beautiful stretch of private beach owned by one of the boys.
We girls were holding hands and playing in two-and-a-half feet of water.
Suddenly, the waves receded. I lost balance and stumbled.
As I was a swimmer, I dived face down.
The moment my face went underwater, a shock went through my body.
I tried to get up but I could not move. My friends pulled me out.
That was the extent of my injury. There was no impact.
I hadn't hit any object. I didn't fall from a height. I did not bleed. I was not unconscious.
In fact, I guided my friends through the first aid I needed.
Apparently, when I surged ahead in the water, I broke my neck.
It was one of those freak accidents. But, in that split second, everything was over for me.
Since one of my friends' father was a doctor, they quickly arranged an ambulance.
I was taken to JIPMER Medical College in Pondicherry.
They put a collar on my neck as it was broken and asked my friends to take me to Apollo Hospital in Chennai.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Former cricket champ Preethi Srinivasan was denied admission into the University of Madras for a distance education course after an unfortunate accident left her quadriplegic for life. Srinivasan who's fighting a lone battle has also started an organisation to help people like her get a fair chance at life. Read on to find out all about this wonder achiever's inspiring story so far.
Seventeen years ago, Preethi Srinivasan was the Under-19 Tamil Nadu state cricket team captain. She was also an accomplished swimmer.
Today, she is a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair, needing her mother's help for everything in her day-to-day life. But her disability hasn't dampened her fighting spirit.
Srinivasan has recently launched Soulfree, an organisation that aims to be the strength, voice and face of all those with spinal cord injuries.
In this interview, which lasted almost two hours, Preethi speaks about her yesterday, her today and her dreams for tomorrow.
Read Preethi Srinivasan's story in her own words:
It was a fairytale childhood
An only child, I was born nine years after my parents' marriage. I am happy I was born out of their union as they were so much in love.
I had a fairytale childhood.
I was born in Chennai but we travelled a lot. I studied in nine different schools, across three different continents, as my father was transferred to different places every year.
I completed my schooling in the US.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link :
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CRICKET IS IN MY BLOOD
The 1983 World Cup was my introduction to cricket.
I was just four years old, but I supported the West Indies as I was a big fan of Vivian Richards. So fascinated was I with the game that, at the age of seven, I went to a cricket camp that was organised for around 300 boys.
There, the boys were scared to bowl to me as I used to hit the ball so hard. I also bowled fast but slowly became a leg spinner.
I was so good in the game that I was selected to play for the Tamil Nadu State Women's cricket team at the age of eight. I don't think anybody has achieved this distinction. As I was the only child in the team, the other members would wash my clothes and take care of me.
I still remember the match against Indian Railways that had Diana Edulji. I was 12 then and was asked to open with Hema Malini, who is the current coach of the Tamil Nadu team. She was 11 years older than me. Later, I lifted Diana to the mid-wicket boundary!
I cherish these memories fondly; they will never fade.
I thoroughly enjoyed playing cricket. It was my passion. As an only child, it gave me the chance to be a part of a group.
The best days of my life were travelling with my team by train for tournaments. We used to sing, dance and make merry.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IT WAS MY FATHER"S DREAM TO BE A SWIMMER,HE FULFILLED IT THROUGH ME.
A swimmer at age three
I started playing cricket at the age of four, but I began swimming a year earlier!
I learnt swimming for my father.
It was his dream to be a swimmer and I guess he fulfilled his dream through me.
I stood first in the state in the 50 m breaststroke; in all the other events, I was second.
Though I didn't enjoy swimming much, the sport helped me develop strong shoulder muscles.
Once, when we practised cricket for the state team at the beach, many were surprised to see me throw the ball from the boundary straight to the wicket keeper's gloves.
The onlookers didn't know I was only eight, they thought I was a short woman.
They were shouting (West Indian Augustine) Logie, Logie, as he was very short!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN GRADE 12 I WAS IN THE WHO'S WHO OF AMERICA'S LIST
I dreamt of Princeton
When we moved to the US, I had to leave cricket behind. But I was soon part of the softball and swimming teams.
I was good in whatever I did, including academics.
In grade 12, I was in the Who's Who of America's list, which names the country’s top two per cent students.
If I wanted, I would have joined any Ivy League school. Which, in a way, is such an irony.
Today, I am finding it difficult to join a university's distance education programme.
If we had stayed there, I would have gone to Princeton.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I WAS INTERVIEWED ON DOORDARSHAN
Captaining the Under 19 cricket team
In 1997, I returned to India mainly because I wanted to continue playing cricket.
There was this Under-19 national cricket tournament that was scheduled to take place and I was the captain of the U-19 state team.
We won the nationals and it was a big thing for all of us!
I was interviewed on Doordarshan; I still have the taped interview with me.
I have no doubt that, in a couple of years, I would have played for India. But fate had other plans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MOMENT MY FACE WENT UNDER WATER, A SHOCK WENT THROUGH MY BODY
In a split second, everything was over
The first 18 years of my life was like a fairytale; I feel have seen both heaven and hell in this life.
I joined the five-year consolidated MBA course in Chennai so that I could continue playing cricket while my parents stayed back in the US.
On July 7, 1998, just a week before my second year at college was to begin, we students went on an excursion to Pondicherry.
On our way back, we decided to play in a beautiful stretch of private beach owned by one of the boys.
We girls were holding hands and playing in two-and-a-half feet of water.
Suddenly, the waves receded. I lost balance and stumbled.
As I was a swimmer, I dived face down.
The moment my face went underwater, a shock went through my body.
I tried to get up but I could not move. My friends pulled me out.
That was the extent of my injury. There was no impact.
I hadn't hit any object. I didn't fall from a height. I did not bleed. I was not unconscious.
In fact, I guided my friends through the first aid I needed.
Apparently, when I surged ahead in the water, I broke my neck.
It was one of those freak accidents. But, in that split second, everything was over for me.
Since one of my friends' father was a doctor, they quickly arranged an ambulance.
I was taken to JIPMER Medical College in Pondicherry.
They put a collar on my neck as it was broken and asked my friends to take me to Apollo Hospital in Chennai.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
link
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slid...have-seen-both-heaven-and-hell/20131025.htm#6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------