The Marathon Man

In 1981 he walked from Pune to Mumbai in a 'Marathon of Hope', covering a stretch of 193 kilometres in 11 days and collecting Rs. 0.6 lakhs for the welfare of disabled persons. Sponsored by Giants International, Mumbai, he was accompanied by two other disabled people, Mr. Gopal Bhanushali and Mr. Shantilal Sampath. What a grand finale to the International Year of the Disabled! He also conducted a walk in Dombivli, a suburb of Mumbai in March 1982 and collected Rs. 0.17 lakhs for the foundation of "Astitva" (identity), a school for the mentally retarded and hearing impaired.

Not satisfied with resting on his laurels, he then walked from Baroda to Mumbai in 1982, sponsored by various Rotary clubs and collected Rs.1.25 lakhs in aid of Astitva and the Rotary Seva Kendra Hearing Impaired School. By covering the distance in nearly a month, he created a national record too.
Forty-one year old Ashok Gori of Dombivli (Mumbai), who got the inspiration for his marathon journeys after reading an article on Terry Fox, a cancer patient with an amputated limb, who journeyed across his country on foot in an effort to raise funds for the cause of cancer.

Ashok Gori, who comes from a middle class family, suffered from polio when he was only three as a result of which both his legs were affected. His parents were devastated yet did not lose courage. For three years they followed a therapy of oil massage, baths in the hot springs at Vajreshwari along with physiotherapy treatment in a hospital. Ashok slowly began walking with the aid of calipers and crutches.

His parents then admitted him in an English medium school. He graduated in Commerce in 1980 and joined the Bank of Maharastra in the same year. He has also attained proficiency in computer programming. He was selected to represent the country in Badminton at the Ist International Meet on Leisure, Recreation and Sports for the Disabled, held at Japan in 1984, organised by Rehabilitation International.

He is the Vice President of Bharari, an institution set up by the disabled for the disabled at Dombivli. He has been recipient of awards from the Giants group and from the Panchsheel Handicapped Trust. He is also associated with several Bank Employees Union cultural associations. In fact, he is vice president of the Bank of Maharashtra Employees Union. A multi-faceted personality, he has also won prizes in music and dramatics as well. With his 'marathon' adventures he has proved that valour and high spirits are the sole answers to overcome physical barriers and disability can be challenged. He sums up his life by saying, "My walkathon, activities in the bank union. involvement with the disabled organisations have given me a new impetus. Mr. Pandurang Shastri Athavale, taught me to focus on the teachings of the 'Gita' - "keep on doing Karma without expecting anything in return". We should thank the Almighty for our birth as human beings and should strive to give maximum support and help to society in general and disabled people in particular.

We salute Ashok Gori …may his tribe increase.

Source: Success & Ability, Volume 6 No. 1
Issue: Dated Jan-Mar 2001