16-year-old Ashmeet Bhatnagar stands for 12 hours a day. Not because he wants to, but because he suffers from myositis ossificans. It is a rare, incurable condition that makes it impossible for the teenager to sit.
One can imagine the plight of the young boy who then either has to stand or lie down because of stiff joints.
This rare condition occurs when bone tissue forms inside muscles or other soft tissues after an injury.
This teenage boy from Jaipur has now become a symbol of persistence and strength for many students after he wrote his Class 10 CBSE exams standing and scored a whopping 93.4%.
Ashmeet’s father, 52-year-old Sumeet Bhatnagar, works at a private company. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, he shared how Ashmeet was administered the DPT vaccine at the age of one. But at the time, a lump formed because of which the child had to undergo surgery. It was in this process that his hip became stiff.
“Later, doctors diagnosed him to be suffering from myositis ossificans,” Sumeet told the publication.
And while his physical condition limits him, Sumeet adds how a persistent Ashmeet doesn’t let it affect his love for cricket, badminton and chess. The teenager has also taken a special liking to photography.
Ashmeet chose commerce as his stream for Class 11 and aspires to become a government officer.
Ranjana Sharma, Ashmeet’s class teacher at Ryan International School, Mansarovar, Jaipur was proud of his achievement. She says, “He is focused on his studies, and despite having problems, he doesn’t let it define him. He is friendly and obedient,” she said.
Because Ashmeet attends all his classes while standing, his school arranged a special table for him, to help him during the exams too.
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Dr S Sitaraman from the Government Children’s Hospital JK Lon treated Ashmeet told the publication that they couldn’t find a cure for his condition despite trying several drugs. He said, “The boy has to prevent himself from getting injured.”
We hope Ashmeet continues to grow in all spheres of life and turns his vision of becoming a government official into reality. His story proves that the only disability one can have is a bad attitude. If you give the task at hand your best shot, nothing can stop you from succeeding!
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
Feature image in-set credit: Hindustan Times