“All of us have the strength to fight. It’s hidden inside of us. We just need courage and determination to ignite this strength”
Ankita Shah lived in Palitana and moved to Ahmedabad for employment. Ankita lost her leg to polio when she yas just a year old. Her legs were amputated. Her parents supported her education and she got a bachelor degree in Economics.
Being the eldest child in family of seven was difficult as there were responsibilities. She was rejected by various institutions when she applied for jobs due to her ‘prosthetic limbs’. But whenever she got any offer for a job, be it call centre, a real estate firm, or a housekeeper in hotels, she accepted them.
She knew that none of this jobs matched her potential or qualification and that she deserved more and after almost working for 10 years through several jobs to survive, she decided to do something for her own.
In 2019, her father was diagnosed with intestinal cancer and that forced her to re-write her life and career. She needed to be financially independent to support the family. She needed the flexibility to balance work with father’s treatment. A full-time desk job would not provide that. So she started driving Auto Rickshaw to support her family financially and take care of her father. She was helped by her Friend Lalji Barot, who was also differently-abled, to learn how to drive auto and helped her get customized hand operated brakes.
She drives auto from 10am to 8:30 pm in the area between Chandkheda and Kalupur Railway Station and earns Rs.25000 monthly to support family. She manages time of her work to take care of her father.
She says,“My father’s health has improved, and with his support, I am stronger than ever. I hope my story inspires both women and the differently-abled, and I hope it reminds them of their potential. Having a strong support system always helps but we also need to realise that we are our biggest strength. All we need is to believe in ourselves.”
Ankita’s story has inspired and motivated lot of people. Kudos to everyone out there accepting challenges and spreading positivity, inspiring to be strong and believing in oneself.
