Says Chennai based 26-year-old Kumaran Kumanan, who is an author, a counseling psychologist, a PhD student, an avid Facebook user, living with cerebral palsy. Read his interview on making Inclusion possible.
Meet Kumaran Kumanan author of Aanantha Thaandavam, an autobiography in Tamil. The English version of the autobiography aptly titled "CP to CP" Cerebral Palsy to Counseling Psychologist” was released on September 11 2014.
Tell us about yourself, Kumaran.
I am from Chennai! I have cerebral palsy diplegia. This makes me a wheelchair user when outdoors and supported walker indoors.
I am a counseling psychologist by profession and have my own clinic called "K Point" which is located in the same building of my home. Now I'm doing my PhD in psychology from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
I was part of a normal schooling environment till my 5th grade. Due to the unfortunate situation of lack of accessible classrooms, which was denied even after a very clear request, I had to move out of that environment.
After searching for alternatives, in the same year, I got enrolled in NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) and started studying from home. This meant I had to do my 10th grade directly, followed by 12th grade. Psychology was one of the subjects in both the grades. This was a firm suggestion of my father Mr.Elango Kumanan as he was absolutely sure about making my education a continuous process. No matter what.
Simultaneously, I learnt French from Alliance Francaise of Madras and Hindi through home tuitions. I finished my post graduation in "Counseling Psychology” in 2011and now I am pursuing PhD from a university outside Chennai, as I was denied the opportunity in my city. All the academic achievements are due to my prime tutor, my mother, Mrs.Karpagam Kumanan!
How can inclusion be made possible for all?
First the basic thought process has to change! Places have to be built by incorporating inclusive structure right from the beginning. Even if it is difficult to do so! Lack of accessibility would somehow have a role in lack of sociability. I had to depend on Facebook actually to get a proper friends circle and it took me 5 years to achieve what I desired. An inclusive circle, despite being away from an academic atmosphere. People must not hesitate to make friends with fellow citizens with disabilities. It may be a teacher-student relationship, a friendship or even romantic relationship. Needs just keep varying with age and have to be given due respect.
Is Inclusion just being there in schools and colleges or getting equal opportunities?
Unfortunately, inclusion is nowhere near giving equal opportunities. The lack of accessibility factor keeps us away from being included directly in any academic atmosphere. Sometimes, an inaccessible stairway would make a set of people like myself stay down and away forever.
How inclusive is the job sector?
Since I am self employed, I cannot say directly about the accessibility factor or inclusive factor of the job market! Yet, I’ve been seeing people with disabilities taking up jobs which are extremely irrelevant to their actual academic qualifications and they do hold on to the same job even when they aren't having that self-satisfaction, just because of the fact that they have to have a financial security.
How inclusive is this community - what is it that you feel has to be changed immediately?
Personally I think it is completely up to a person with disability to reach out to the rest of the world and mingle with others by choosing a correct circle of friends. In a country like India, which is highly inaccessible, it is not wise to have only people with disability as friends, or to plan a married life if both the partners are disabled and lack physical movement and are in need of assistance of others.
At the same time, the society at large should get over their hesitation to even begin a general conversation with a person with disability. The happiest day of my life would be when I see an inclusive society with loads of friends for every person with disability, just like what I have! I thank God, my parents, family and friends for this.
What about your profession Kumaran?
My experience as a counselor has been really productive and is firm to the extent that I maintain a trustworthy and firm connect with my clients and some of them have become close to me in my personal life too.
In case if I can't handle any specific case due to my physical limitations, I either take assistance of others around or refer the client to others. I have been working since 2012. Yet I have made my working procedure limited to "On calls” as of now till I complete my PhD and make another place ready for work.
(This article has been republished here in arrangement with Connect Special, a digital magazine, which provides solutions for challenges faced by people with disability.)
