Tripura's table tennis coach Kajal Dey lost his hands but not spirit; urges people to follow passion

When the whole world was busy observing the International Day of persons with disabilities on Friday through varied programmes to promote an understanding of disability issues and well being of persons with disabilities, Table Tennis coach Kajal Dey continues to train his students in Agartala's Polestar club premises keeping himself away from such observations.

For the last 22 to 23 years, he has been training students of different age groups and received accolades for that. Earlier this year, the government of Tripura has awarded him with the title of Best Table Tennis coach, something that he cherishes as a badge of completeness for his journey. Dey lost two of his hands from the wrists in an accident many years back but he did not fall back. He started to follow his passion of Table Tennis and now he has achieved what he calls his desired feat.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, Dey said, "For the last 22 to 23 years, I am training children. For people, I am a person with special abilities but if I sum up whatever is achieved in my life for the last two decades, it makes me much more able than any other normal person". Dey is running the coaching centre free of cost and whatever investment is required in the centre is being spent from his own pocket.

"I am not completely fit to take part in such sporting events. But still, a lot of students who took training from my centre have shined at the national level. One of my students, Sreyashi Chakraborty, got admission to the Sports Authority of India. This is for the first time someone from Tripura attained such success at the national level", said Dey.

He uses a unique way to tie the Table Tennis bat in between two limb bones using rubber bands specially designed for the purpose.

Dey, an employee in the public works department of the Tripura government, is now posted at Tripura Power Department on deputation. "I have a specific demand for the government. If the government transfers me to the Sports Council on deputation, then it will act as a booster for me. I shall get the opportunity to train more and more children using the available infrastructure," said Dey.

On being asked as to what he wants to say to the people on the occasion, he said, "If you follow your passion, there nothing that can stop you. If you can't do normal things, you can learn board games like Carrom and Chess where physical activities are less and later train others. Sports empowers a person's abilities to infinite proportions. We should move ahead keeping a goal in mind."

( With inputs from ANI )