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Chairman
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"People
often ask me from where I get my strength. I tell them, from the
mountains. Today a painting of the Himalayas greets every visitor to
the centre and inspires everyone to reach higher, to seek the strength
within themselves and to know that they can conquer any fear, surmount
any challenge! When your spirit is strong, nothing in the world can
stop you." |
Maj. H.P.S. Ahluwalia |
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Sometimes it takes a terrible tragedy to help us discover the true strength of our spirit...and
the true purpose of our lives. The story of the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, is really the
story of one man's journey of faith...of accomplishing an almost impossible mission...of completely dedicating his life to help transform the lives of others...
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Major Ahluwalia was just 26 years old when he climbed the world's highest peak, Mount Everest.
Tragically just a few months later, he was wounded in the Indo-Pak war which resulted in his
confinement to the wheelchair. It was a tragedy that would have destroyed most people. Though he
nearly lost his life, he never lost his courage or his fighting spirit. "Life is all about
conquering the other summit - the Summit of the Mind," he says even today.
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To his dismay, Major Ahluwalia discovered that there were no specialized hospitals for people
with spinal injured in India. Determined to rebuild his life, he finally travelled to the UK,
to undergo intensive rehabilitation at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital. It was an experience that
totally transformed him. He realized that though he himself had been lucky to get expert
care,
millions of Indians were not so fortunate and were forced to lead marginalized lives. It became his life's mission to help others like him and he determined to set up a similar hospital in India.
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Rajiv Gandhi (Former Late Prime Minister of India) Laid the
Foundation Stone of ISIC.
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In the early 1990s, Major Ahluwalia's dream project began to take shape, when the Government of
India gave him financial grant. To ensure the highest standards, he sought collaboration with
leading institutes around the world. Impressed with his vision, the Government of Italy
invested US $ 10 million in the project - the largest ever Italian collaboration with any
country in this sector. The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) was a true landmark, not only
in India, but in the whole of Asia.
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Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
President of India visiting ISIC
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In recognition of his unique contribution to society, the Government of India awarded Major
Ahluwalia the country's highest honours - the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Shri and the Arjuna
Award. The President of India has also conferred the National Award for Best Work in the Field
of Disability on him, for his humanitarian efforts and tireless service for the welfare of
persons with disabilities.
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