Diphu: Eleven year old physically challenged Chichong Tokbi is a victim of contracted polio. His hands are of no use to him, and neither is his right foot, but he is very intelligent.
He crawls around 300 feet for 45 minutes uphill every day to reach the only primary school in Rong village – Apam Tokbi Gaon located within Rongkhang development block under Kheroni police station of Hamren subdivision, in west Karbi Anglong.
“He uses paper with his right leg and he is one of the regular students of my class, except for rainy days, he never misses school. It becomes difficult for him to drag his paralyzed body in slippery ground,” Bhakta Pator, the teacher at Rongphar Arong EGS school said.
“I am handicapped but not disabled. I want to study and I will support myself one day with my own effort,” said the eleven year old Chichong Tokbi. He is not only fighting his physical disability but also total apathy of the authorities who turned a blind eye towards the quandary of such children in this district.
The government’s designated sector, the Social Welfare department certainly has a responsibility towards children like Chichong Tokbi, but fails to address the needs of the disabled.
This boy’s will power and love for education can be an inspiration for millions of other physically challenged children.
