The 47-year-old visually-impaired Srikanth works at Food Corporation of India and has found an avocation in story-telling

K. Srikanth was in class VII when his right eye went blurry and he had to discontinue formal schooling – retinal detachment had already blinded his left eye. But he was not the one to give up easily. Completing class VIII and class X through home schooling, he showed himself to be a great fighter.

Since he suffered complete loss of vision, shortwave radio has been his constant companion, especially the BBC. “As I wanted to achieve something, I felt miserable,” recalls Srikanth. The 47-year-old who works at Food Corporation of India (FCI), has found an avocation in story-telling. He is focused on developing the skill of narrating crime thriller and science fiction stories.

Listening to Pete Myers of Radio Netherland sometime in early 1990s helped him discover the story-teller in him. In 1994, he had a short stint with the All India Radio as compeer. For three years, he presented a show for the London Radio Station, up-linking from a centre in Abhiramapuram. Following the success of the show, he was roped in as RJ for the women’s radio station run by MOP College for Women. Here again, he played to his strength, narrating stories.

“I have a dream and that is to be the greatest storyteller,” he says.

Waiting for the big break in the media, Srikanth is, however, content at present to be narrating stories to co-passengers on his way to work. “There are 15 of us travelling in the van. The majority of them work at the Income Tax department. I enjoy sharing anecdotes and stories with them,” he says. After the van drops Srikanth’s friends at their office on Nungambakkam High Road, he heads towards FCI’s Chetpet branch, where the raconteur works as a receptionist.

A flair for English motivated him to purse first a bachelor’s, and then a master’s degree in literature through correspondence. Srikanth has not mastered Braille and much of his learning came from listening to lecturers at contact classes and getting help from student scribes who read aloud the lessons for him. “Professors such as Anand Kumar Raju (Madras University), Donald James and Brian Pepin who taught at The New College made English extremely interesting,” says Srikanth. He was inspired by noble thoughts contained in the works of Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling and other literary giants. During our conversation, he mentions ideas that served as an impetus to personal growth. Despite his inner strength, he could not ignore certain facts about him. “Learning was difficult. Things would not register easily and I had to concentrate more than others,” he says.

His failed in his attempt to get an M. Phil degree, but setbacks such as these have not quelled the desire to learn more. Srikanth is now trying to master the Brahma Sutras.

Srikanth can be contacted at 9952080063.

(A COLUMN ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEAT THE ODDS AND WON)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai> Downtown / by Liffy Thomas / May 18th, 2013