Chennaiite to take part in paralympic contest

Chennai: When youngsters these days find it difficult to swim or undermine the prospect of it, Sriram Srinivas has already mastered the sport. A resident of the neighbourhood, Srinivas has already measured a distance of five kilometres swimming in the ocean.

The high water mark of his achievement is that he is the first ever known person with Cerebral Palsy and Mental Retardation to achieve the feat. Sriram is also expected to participate with the same conviction in next year’s Paralympics, that is to take place at Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to Vadapalani Talk, Chief Officer, 1-Tamilnadu Medical Unit of the NCC, Vaithiyanathan said, “As part of its commitment to the noble cause of training the country’s youth to be responsible and productive citizens, the NCC is also committed to training specially-abled children and youth in addition to regular students.”

Speaking about Srinivas, Vaithiyanathan, said,”He is one such specially-abled youth adopted by the NCC who is now motivating other cadets.”

Further, he said,”Sriram was unable to walk until he was five-years-old. But, his conviction and determination has enabled him to reach such a feat,” the NCC officer added.

Vaithiyanathan had unending praise for his cadet. “In a first-ever known feat by a person with Cerebral Palsy and Mental Retardation, Sriram successfully swam a distance of five kilometres in the sea, egged on and motivated by other NCC cadets,” he said.

With his coaches accompanying him, Sriram achieved the feat in a time of three hours and 18 minutes as confirmed by the NCC. The event held at Cuddalore as part of the NCC Ocean Sailing Expedition 2018.

Sriram’s brother Balaji Srinivas, overflowing with pride, said,”The achievements by Sriram will be a source of great inspiration to all specially-abled children, their parents and their caretakers.”

“We came to know that Sriram was specially-abled when was a five-month old infant. But, my parents were not ready to accept him as special child and instead treated him like a normal kid,” said Balaji

Sriram was given special training in the early part of his life to help overcome his different abilities, his brother said and added,”The doctors recommended that he be cured with training rather than using medicines. From that low-down point, he is here,” Balaji added.

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