Captain Navin Gulia inspires and motivates young children to dream big by setting himself as an example for them
Most people get de-motivated when faced with a hurdle in life, but there are a few who challenge the ‘challenge’ itself. Meet Navin Gulia, an adventurer, writer, social worker and motivational speaker. He has designed a set of controls for steering a car with limited hand movement and drove non-stop for 55 hours to Marsimik La in the Himalayas. Today, he holds the record as the first man in the world to conquer the highest motorable mountain pass in the world. What makes this achievement an inspiration for others is that he is completely paralysed with just a little movement in his hands. He says, “I believe no disability should bind someone from achieving bigger goals in life. Instead, it should be turned into a life-affirming force. I try and stretch beyond my physical abilities and tour the country to hold motivational classes to inspire people of all ages.”
With a dream to become a paramilitary officer, he joined the NDA at the age of 18 but an injury left Captain Navin paralysed from the waist down and cut short his army career. Today, he runs ‘Apni Duniya Apna Ashiyana’ (ADAA), a centre for street children in Gurgaon with an aim to motivate young children to achieve their dreams. He talks to them about the umpteen impossibilities in life and how to overcome them, giving examples from his own life. Through the foundation, Navin sponsors the welfare of these children in terms of food, shelter, clothing and education. “When we help a child we change a whole life for the better. I have always wanted to work towards the welfare of children as I myself identify with the problems of under-privileged children, their need for love, appreciation, attention, and their need for opportunities for a bright and secure future,” states Navin and adds, “We have been running ground activities for over eight years now, in which we have reached out to street children, differently-abled children, village children, abandoned children and various other kinds of needy children. It has been a joyful experience to work with so many kids and to be able to help them.”
He also visits nearby villages to help under-privileged kids and guide them in their career choices along with taking care of their medical needs and living expenses. “Every kid’s requirement is different and we do not believe that taking them into a shelter home is the ultimate solution. A poor child staying in a hut is happy living with his family. Why do you need to take him out of there What these children need is guidance, medical aid and education. For children who beg, food is the first priority and education the last. I just work for the welfare of these children and spread the message.”
Elaborating on his initiative, he says, “I believe that the progress of a country is not measured by a successful mission to Mars, but by what we do for those at the lowest rung of society. Why do you think we see a filthy, naked child on the road It is because we want to see such a child, give him money and feel good about it. This is called social corruption; we only worry about our electricity and water. We have no time to raise our voice against this menace.”
In future he aims to reach out to as many kids as possible across the country and address their daily needs. Currently, he is participating in a reality show called HRX Heroes aired on Discovery channel. The show is a documentary based on the lives of heroes like him who are doing exemplary work and motivating the youth of the country. According to him, the show will not just talk about their achievements but also showcase the thousand failures they underwent before achieving their desired goal, thus narrating an inspiring tale. He concludes, “The show airs some amazing stories about challenging our inner strength and achieving big dreams. I hope the youngsters get inspired by us and start stretching their limits to achieve the extraordinary.”
