Gurudeva Charitable Trust gives amputees new lease of life

Visakhapatnam: When K Yashwanth lost both his legs in 2015, little did he know what was in store for him. A year later, the 'double amputee' not only got a new lease of life through a pair of artificial limbs but also ventured into trekking Sabarimala temple. This year, he is again preparing to revisit the hill shrine.

In another far corner of corridor is where V Tati Naidu waits eagerly to give a firm handshake to a visitor. Though he lost part of his right arm, nothing seems to stop him from riding a two-wheeler or carry out household chores that he used to do earlier. "I am grateful to the person who made my life meaningful after losing my arm due to electric shock," he shares.

Like Yashwanth and Naidu, the amputees who got treated at Sri Gurudeva Charitable Trust have several success tales to narrate as its Chairman Raparthi Jagadeesh Babu has given them a new lease of life by providing them artificial limbs free of cost.

Tucked away in Mangalapalem village near Kothavalasa of Vizianagaram district, over 37-km from the city, the Trust is where more than 56,000 amputees from across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Bihar limped back to normal life.

A journey that began in 2000, Jagadeesh says a couple of incidents in his life led him to venture into service-oriented endeavour. "When my mother Raparthi Subba Lakshmi was diagnosed with cancer, life came to a standstill. The fear of losing loved ones was so overpowering. After years of struggle and turmoil, I could finally save my mother from cancer.

A few months down the line, one of my close friends Rajashekar passed away in a train accident. These two experiences moved me a lot and influenced me to foray into reaching out to the needy through artificial limbs," he recalls on the eve of World Disability Day.

After the completion of B E in Bengaluru and M Tech in IIT Kharagpur, Jagadeesh got a placement in the US. "However, destiny had something else in store for me. Today, I am glad that some of the tough decisions made continue to yield positive result," the 42-year-old told The Hans India.

The trust is a place where customised prosthetic and orthotic services are offered to those belonging to economically weaker sections. This apart, the maintenance cost, travel, food and stay of amputees will also be borne by the organisation during treatment given to them by a team of technical experts.

Though Jagadeesh disposed a part of his property for maintenance of trust, he explains that his service gives him immense satisfaction. "It is not just about getting the artificial limbs done here. It is the beginning of a new friendship with the patients laced with love and affection and that is what makes life fulfilling," he concludes.