Ideal of inspiration

PS Bali

Jammu Tawi, April 22

‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat", a line by Sir Winston Churchill, is what inspires 50-year-old Kewal to face every day like a challenge to ensure bread and butter of his family. Hailing from Bholi Chak village in RS Pura, Kewal Raj is handicapped by both legs, but despite mourning over loss of limbs, Raj has set an example for those who think that losing limb is the end of life. It sounds amazing but it is true that Kewal Raj, travels around 25-30 kms daily on his tricycle (especially meant for handicapped) and traverses nine villages to sell newspapers. "It is a daily routine for me to travel 25-30 kms to sell newspapers in nine different villages to earn livelihood. I leave home at 6 in the morning and travel a distance of nine kms to sell newspapers in different villages," said Kewal Raj.   Being handicapped people appreciate my working, "but at times I feel pity over my condition as even after selling 90-100 newspapers, I earn a trivial amount of Rs 30-40 a day," he rued. He aggrieved that to prove himself, he (Kewal), run across villages on his tricycle to sell newspapers. Notwith-standing rains, hailstorms and hot climate, Kewal maintains his responsibility to ensure newspaper copy to his customers. "I believe that nothing stops you, if you are dedicated to achieve something. I always ensure copy to my customers, despite bad weather," Kewal asserted. Kewal Raj is the only bread earner to sustain his wife and three children, and till date he hasn't received any help from government. "I started my career from a small shop in the village to earn livelihood, but after some time due to unavoidable circumstances, we closed it, after that entire family faced hard days," lamented Raj adding that when things around him scattered, he chose this profession of circulation of newspapers. "I believe that dreams and dedication are powerful combination, if one has both these factors, no power can stop him," said Kewal Raj. "I took tricycle of my friend with the object to provide two times food to my family. Though I never asked government for any help, but if government is generous enough it can provide me scooter to ease my work and to raise source of income," anticipated Kewal.