Below is my interview for May 2013 issue of Retina India newsletter.
Praise is a motivating force, most would say. But
only few, like Vijayalakshmi, would convert even criticism into a driving force.
When faced with isolation in school, she sought to be included by becoming an
achiever in multiple curricular and co-curricular activities. When a teacher
sought to scorn her aspiration to study among sighted peers in a regular school,
Vijayalakshmi took it as a challenge to prove her teacher wrong. In a recent
interview to a premier regional television channel, Vijayalakshmi said that she
believes stumbling blocks need not limit one’s aspirations: “There are always
ways to overcome obstacles; one only needs to look for them”. And through her
own triumphs over tribulations, Vijayalakshmi gives credence to this
conviction.
Featured below are excerpts from an interview with
this exceptional young woman, who was recently awarded the
Brigade-Rotary special prize for young achievers.
Vijayalakshmi, who is now pursuing a PhD in Music, has Master’s degrees in
English Literature and Carnatic Music. She is a polyglot with working knowledge
of five languages, and bridges the traditional and the contemporary with elan as
an accomplished student of Sanskrit who uses the Internet to teach music to
students across the globe through
Sushravya,
the school of music she has established.
Retina India (R.I.):
Challenges come in various forms. Most people find it difficult to come to terms
even with small setbacks. A few, like yourself, do not allow even the biggest
barriers to hold them back. Where does your strength come from? Please tell us
about your inspiration and your motivations.
Vijayalakshmi (Viji): If I have to
talk about my inspiration and motivation, I should speak about my parents first,
especially my mother, Mrs. Rukmini Varadharajan.
We belonged to a lower middle-class family, and there
was nobody to support us both physically and financially at the time of my
birth. My father was the only earning member with a small income. It was in this
situation that I was diagnosed with RP [Retinitis Pigmentosa] at the age of one.
Now, one can easily imagine what a big blow that would have been for my
parents.
Many suggested that I should be put in a boarding
school for special children as it would be difficult for my parents to bring me
up in a conventional environment/ setting. My mother did not want this to
happen. She took it as a challenge and taught me everything she could from my
childhood. She told me inspirational stories to motivate me whenever I was
tempted to give up.
She is a science graduate, and did B.Ed for my sake,
to join my school as a teacher, to accompany me every day. She would read all my
lessons aloud like a news reader after the school despite all discouragement
from the people around, and many difficulties. When I joined college, she left
her teaching job to take me to the college, and stayed there till I finished my
classes and brought me home each day. She did the same when I did my computer
courses as well.
Her sacrifices for my sake have been endless. My
mother is my inspiration and motivation. She is my real strength. Whatever
little I can do today is all because of her. All the credit goes to her. I’m
just an instrument in her hands and she is the maker.
R.I : In common
parlance, perception is often linked to being able to see physically. But
philosophers tend to think of perception as something deeper…
Viji: Though I’m unable to see
physically, I have a skill of imagination developed from childhood. Whenever
someone explains to me about something, its color, its shape, size etc, I have
an exact picture of it within my mind’s eye. Even when I haven’t touched a thing
first, I’m often surprised to find that the picture in my mind’s eye is true
about that particular thing after I happen to touch it subsequently. This skill
has enabled me to do many complicated tasks very easily and efficiently: for
example, cooking, wreathing flower garlands, household work like cleaning,
washing etc.
I think learning music has also contributed a lot in
this. It has helped me in differentiating between minute sounds and tones that
even over phone if I hear a person’s voice once, I can identify the person even
if he or she changes his her voice.
R.I : Sanskrit and
Music are considered paths that lead to this deeper understanding of life and
living. You have acquired scholarship in both these areas. Do you think this has
helped you in any particular way? Are there any particular Sanskrit verses/
subhashita-s or musical compositions that have had a deep impact on
you?
Viji: Learning Sanskrit has helped
me in gaining good memory power and in the development of logical thinking and
reasoning. Above all, both music and Sanskrit have given me peace of mind, which
enables me work well and complete the given tasks successfully.
One of my all time favorite compositions is “sarvam
bramhamayam” by Shri Sadashiva Bramhendra.
Whenever I need an answer for any question, I go to
Bhagavath Geeta to find it I can affirm that I have got many convincing
answers from it
Whenever I have an attack of laziness, or I am
tempted by distractions, like watching T.V during studies or over-eating some
favorite food etc. I often remember two subhashitas
1: “Alasyam hi manushyanam parama vairihi”
Meaning: Laziness is the greatest enemy of man.
2: “Vidyaarthi cheth tyageth sukham, sukhaarthi cheth
tyageth vidya”
Meaning: If you are interested in knowledge,
sacrifice sensual pleasures. But, if you are interested in sensual pleasures,
sacrifice knowledge.
R.I : You have made
excellent use of the opportunities presented by the Technology Age we live in to
help your natural talents grow and bear fruit. Please tell us more about the
experience of teaching a global student community.
Viji: Online teaching has always
been a very good experience for me. Apart from sharing my musical knowledge with
students, I also get good insight about different nations, their culture etc,
which has in turn broadened my outlook about life in general, and in particular
has made me feel proud of my own country and its culture.
As I’m fully equipped for this career, there is
absolutely no necessity to reveal my eye condition to persons I’m working with
and I definitely don’t want to do that myself as well. But after taking a few
classes from me, all my NRI students are generally impressed and come to meet me
in person during their vacation in India. My parents and I are glad to see them
giving me more respect than before when they find me doing so well in spite of
the challenge. These moments are especially delightful for my parents.
During the class sometimes when the students hear
‘Jaws’ speak, they think it is some cross talk by an American lad. These types
of incidents often provide much amusement for us.
R.I : Do you find
technology empowering in other ways as well? Are there any particular
innovations in technology that you would like to have, or any areas where you
feel technology lags behind and ought to do better?
Viji: Well, the Internet
technology, as all of us are aware, is a powerhouse of knowledge and has left no
subject untouched. Especially for me I would say it is a great boon, without
which I could not have come up to this level. But I would like to take this
opportunity to request the community at large to come up with more open source
projects in different areas with special reference to empower people with
special needs in order to make them independent and to make them as efficient as
their able-bodied counterparts.
Interview link:
Under the title:
Crossover from eyesight to insight: An
interview with an achiever - Vijayalakshmi
Varadharajan speaks to inSIGHT
All Glories to God!
