Know Your Neighbour
Where disability ends, ability begins- this is the principle that Grp Capt Prabal Malaker believes and follows.
Grp Capt Prabal Malaker, a resident of J block, was a successful fighter pilot who flew MIGs, Mirages and Jaguars and was living a dream life in the skies, when fate decided to test his abilities through his mind and not through his body.
After a near- death experience in a fighter plane crash, he was diagnosed with progressive Multiple Sclerosis in 1998. Initially thought to be osteo- arthritis, he showed rapidly progressing symptoms of MS, and as he smilingly says ”he was downgraded from being airborne, to being chair - borne”. This eventually caused his flying career to take a permanent retirement, but it could not retire his zeal for life and his zest to defeat his disability at every roll of his wheelchair.
He now very famously says, “If you have a problem, accept it. Work within those challenges and carry on with life. Keep your mind strong and paths will open up”. And truly, paths have been opening up before him to prove that disability is only in the mind.
On realizing his fate of life, instead of moping around and accepting defeat at the cruel hands of destiny, he decided to accept his situation and turn it around to benefit himself and thousands of specially abled people by pouring himself into improving public infrastructures for better accessibility.
He joined Multiple Sclerosis Society, Delhi Chapter as a volunteer, and has vowed to improve the lives of countless MS patients, who degenerate mentally, very rapidly.
He has been crusading for better accessibility for disabled people, at public places such as hotels, restaurants, movie theaters and airplanes. He has been recently recognised by the Govt of India, for his tireless crusades and he received the award from the Disability Commissioner, Delhi, on behalf of MS Society of India.
Due to his single-handed and persistent efforts, the Disability Commissioner served notice to Movie Hall Operators which include PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis. A notice has also been served to 480 restaurants and hotels in Delhi, to conform to the harmonized guidelines of barrier-free access, published by PWD.
He is an avid traveler and has conducted accessibility audits for hotels and tourist sites in Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ranakpur, Sarnath, Varanasi and Sri Lanka.
He heads the advocacy arm of the MSSI Delhi chapter and has been engaging with the Delhi State Disability Commissioner on a regular basis to bring about changes in policy and assessment guidelines for the specially abled.
Watch an engaging Video Chat with Gp Capt Prabal Malakar ( Click here)
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