Ankur Bora
It all began with a compelling question that only
myself could answer. In 2008, I ran a Marathon to support and raise money for a
school for underprivileged children in my home state of Assam. It was an amazing
adventure - seeking discrete but effective fundraising means to appeal to the
local community so that they open their hearts and wallets while maintaining
everyday practices and training for the run. This year, there was a pressing
need for another fundraiser – this time it was for a school for
differently-abled abandoned/orphaned children named Tapoban and I found myself
on a crossroad. After all, It has been a long ten years - can I endure hundreds
of miles of training and push my physical limits, my drive, and my mental
strength for another run.
Having a purpose , along with deliberate practice,
interest and faith – is a key to accomplish any or every goal. The home of
Tapoban shelters 24 differently abled children between the age group of 6-14
years as well as staff members, including a braille teacher, physiotherapist
and caretakers. It is a four story residential structure without an elevator.
Every day is a struggle for these children in wheelchair who needed to be
lifted by others. The purpose of the fundraising is to raise enough money for
construction of a lift, an electrical elevator which will greatly help these
children. When I imagined, these cheering ,smiling children waiting for me at
the finishing line, I began to find the answer. In the days that follow, that
rewarding feeling of validation I sought for so long began to crystallize.
Kumud Kalita, founder of Tapoban is a sincere and upright man who is
doing everything he can in his capacity to help these children lead fulfilling
lives. I met him in person this year at the Jeevan Kite & River Festival where,
we , on behalf of Assam Foundation of North America ( AFNA) were honoring him. At
the event, I witnessed some of the
children of Tapoban performing on stage and realized how Kalita is turning
their disability to ability. Established in 2005, Kumud Kalita, initially, started running this
shelter home with his own salary often struggling to keep it going. Whenever I
thought of such unselfish acts of kindness , I realized that I needed to frame
the Marathon run in terms of a broader
goal that has an impact beyond myself.
Before my race,
I made a list of people that I will
remember for every mile I run. Debojit Bora
used to live in my neighborhood at Fouzdaripatty in Nagaon town. A
smiling face, a warm heart burning in philanthropic zeal, he is a true mentor
who taught me to examine and explore issues from a variety of viewpoints. He is
going through a major surgery at a hospital in Dallas- Forth worth - I know
that his good wishes will be with me. Kalyan
Dutta-Choudhury of Berkeley, California had been a well-wisher and
supporter of AFNA projects for a long
time. Dutta-Choudhury passed away recently and I am dedicating my marathon run in
his loving memory. As I am preparing for the run - I am overwhelmed with
emotion, filled with sadness , the long
term associations spreading over ten years - at the same time I am able to do
something meaningful - that we will be
able to keep his legacy alive. I also have the fondest memory of another
family Krishna and Pradip Das of Saint Louis , Missouri. Late Krishna Das used
to share with us her story in the ancestral house of her husband at Boko in
Kamrup district , how the family was raised in Gandhi's ideals of self-reliance.
Those stories continued to live in my heart and as I was getting ready , I knew
that they would resonate throughout my
race.
The challenge , the chance to push oneself , setting
new goals and constantly elevating
ourselves is how we grow ; it’s how we keep from becoming complacent and it’s what
I witnessed at the BMW Dallas Marathon on 9th December. My road to
that day was a total transformative experience. As the burst of fireworks
blasted off at the start line, I shot off into a new chapter of life. It was a
sight to behold, as while thousands of runners hit the road , another million
hit the sidelines to cheer them up. The whole course was lined with spectators.
In every mile , crowd was cheering , in every neighborhood of the town
live bands were performing a variety of music, as I crossed each
milestone , I was energized by the continuous shouts of encouragement. For a
moment , it appeared, as if the whole of Dallas city were out there , showing
solidarity and support to me and Tapoban. As I crossed the famed finished line,
I begin to feel renewed and improved as if I am reborn to rise again.
The biggest risk in life is not taking one. Instead
of doing all the things we do every day, over and over , we should keep working
at the things that do not come easily to us. We need to challenge ourselves ,
let’s think of the feeling of accomplishment that will follow once we prove to
ourselves that we actually can do the thing we thought we could not do. When we
face them with courage and conquer the fear , we only grow stronger. This is
the attitude to have , isn’t it?
