When Bharat HG was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, he did not let his condition slow him down and continued to dream of a successful life and career. Today, he wants to inspire other like him as they embark on the journey of life.
When Bharat HG was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, he did not let his condition slow him down and continued to dream of a successful life and career. Today, he wants to inspire other like him as they embark on the journey of life.
I have worked in the field of information technology, one of the most challenging industries for the present generation, for six years now. And as I begin my seventh year, I would like to share my story to encourage differently abled students around the world who are dreaming of successful careers in the different fields that they are passionate about.
I began thinking of a career in the software industry right after I started my engineering course. Many thought that I would be an “unsuccessful engineer” because I was slow in speech. I have cerebral palsy – a condition that makes it difficult for me to co-ordinate my body parts. The demotivating words of my peers, my lecturers and the society at large did scare me. They would say things like “you can’t get into the IT industry without proper speaking abilities” or “how will you clear the HR interview?” But I had to believe in myself.
I believed that I have seen a kind of life that many of those people won’t get to see, and all I wanted was to carve my path the way I desired.
I was rejected after clearing the aptitude exam in one of my interviews. The reason they stated was – “A technical person needs speech”. I wondered – don’t my analytical, reasoning and logical abilities count at all? Can a speech problem overpower all other abilities in a person? Wasn’t my 18 years long education meaningful?
It was hard to come out of that shock because I couldn’t help but think that this would be hiring trend in the entire industry. Soon after that, when another company was going to visit for campus placement, I had to muster all my confidence yet again. I forced myself to believe that this time, their way of dealing with talent would be different.
And I was right. I was able to crack all the rounds including HR, and finally made my way to the Mysore Infosys campus. The experience of working in this industry has been wonderful. The support and encouragement from my team is amazing.
Moreover, for a person living with cerebral palsy to work with some of the best minds in the industry is awesome. I often tell myself – “I am not a non-performing asset”.
Six years passed between the time I passed school and got placed. And all the while I was only wondering whether I will ever be able to earn a living and utilize my skills to pursue my passion. Today, I am surviving in this competitive profession; sharing my ideas; contributing my thoughts – and speech has never been a hindrance. My fingers also move slower than that of others because of cerebral palsy, but that too has never come in the way of my performance.
I deeply believe that my journey can encourage many differently-abled people to invest time in acquiring skills rather than thinking too much about people who can’t encourage them. Remember, when you pave the path that you want to lead, passion always finds a way.
– Bharat HG
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