Ears to the Ground

19.11.2015, At first glance, as she walks along the verandah of her school in uniform, Sreejishna K S is almost indistinguishable from her peers. She is slender and has a tall stature, legs so lanky that many might mistake her for a basketball player. It is only when you get close that you realise what makes Sreejishna stand out from her chirpy friends. In both her ears can be seen a hearing aid. But what is even more interesting about the girl is that she is an international athlete who represented India in the special Olympics held in Taiwan.

“I am who I am,” says Sreejishna when asked if her hearing impairment has given her an extra drive to succeed. “I don’t need to put up my hands up and just say I have a disability. I can still survive in this environment. I want my friends to consider me as one of them,” says the 17-year-old. Sreejishna has been deaf from birth, when she was temporarily starved of oxygen. However, her deafness, which is classified as severe to profound, did not prevent her from chasing her dream - becoming an athlete. She is now a long-jumper, an international talent who has brought home a handful of medals in her discipline. Born into a family that nurtures a keen interest in sports, in Thrissur district, Sreejishna has had a good number of supporters in her house. Her father, mother and even grandmother encouraged her to become an athlete. A professional martial artist, her father taught her how to become physically fit in her formative years.

“My father was the biggest inspiration for me when I was sad that I could not speak. All my family supported and gave me the energy to move forward. But it was my schoolteacher Raj Mohanan who turned me into a high jumper,” says the budding star.

A Plus-Two student, Sreejishana attends classes at the Karuna Special Higher Secondary School, Kozhikode. For her teachers, she is the brightest student of the class who also excels in arts. She has competed in diverse events in state special school fest and bagged awards, but deep within, she aspires to win an Olympic medal in long jump. “I am an active participant in extra-curricular activities. My aim, though, is to become a long jumper who wins medals for India. I have done it for my state in Special National Games, clinching four gold medals in 2013 and 2014,” says the girl proudly.

Despite all the positive vibes she receives from her teachers, parents and friends in life, there is something that pains Sreejishna deeply. The Education Department in the state has not been supportive of her. “Even if I win medals both nationally and internationally, I don’t get grace marks. The department has not given me a single penny for my travel allowance. When I go abroad to take part in meets, I spend from my pocket,” laments Sreejishna.