Preethi- A common girl with special abilities.

She had physical and mental sufferings of her own. But instead of grieving about them, she chose to draw lessons from these and reach out to others with a similar or worse plight. Preethi Srinivasan is a

quadriplegic but that’s not what defines her. She chalks out and realizes plans to help other people with severe disabilities to stand on their own feet with dignity through her organization, Soul free.

Preethi Srinivasan was the captain of the under-19 Tamil Nadu women’s cricket team. She was a champ swimmer. Even after the unfortunate accident that left her quadriplegic, she continues to have all the virtues of a champion sportsperson. Today, she champions the cause of others in need. Post the accident that has left her paralyzed below the neck, her life is harder but has found a new meaning that she enthusiastically embraces. 

Her accident altered her course of life. Physically, mentally and emotionally. An easier choice might have been to succumb to life’s and society’s unfairness, sit back home and lament the twist of fate. But what emerged eventually out of all the struggles was a new messiah and leader for people. Physically, she might be confined to a wheel chair but she weaves plans of freedom for others like her through her organization Soul free. Soul free is a Tamil Nadu based small, public charitable trust that Preethi has started to provide women with severe disabilities to assist them in fulfilling their highest human potential by providing a basic quality of life.
Could you expect a girl in India to be so much into cricket right from the age of 4 years? You might, if you are talking about Preethi Srinivasan. The most devoted fan of the legendary West Indies cricketer, Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, Preethi was the youngest at just 8 years old to play for the Tamil Nadu Women’s Cricket Team. She also captained the U-19 TN Cricket team to its only victory in 1997. That aside, she was also a champion swimmer. She stood first in the state in the 50m breaststroke and came second in all the other swimming events.

And then came the ill-fated incident on 11th July, 1998 that could possibly shock any body’s imagination. Preethi was 18 at that time. She had had a wonderful college trip to Pondicherry and was returning to Chennai, when they stopped by to spend some time at a private beach owned by a classmate’s father. Soon, they went to the shores and with the other girls, she started to jump on the waves in thigh deep water while the boys swam and played in the deeper portions. Suddenly a receding wave churned up the sand from under her feet, tripping her up. She stumbled a bit and dived face forward into the water. However, as fate would have it, the moment her face went underwater she felt a shock like sensation travel through her body. That’s it – no impact , not a drop of blood, just a split-second of misfortune. She didn't felt pain or lost consciousness, and there was absolutely nothing dramatic. As soon as she felt the shock travel through her body, she couldn't move. She tried to get back out of the water, and nothing happened, so she held her breath until her friends pulled her out.

She was taken to the JIPMER Hospital in Pondicherry in an ambulance. There she was made to wear a spondylitis collar, without proper diagnosis and sent to Chennai for a thorough check up after labeling it as a case of “accident”. It took four crucial hours to reach Chennai for proper treatment, where she was diagnosed not with spondylitis but a severe case of paralysis. Preethi still wonders if those four hours of misdiagnosed medical care would have made all the difference in her condition today.

For an athlete and a young person, dealing with such a life-changing accident can be a calamity, and requires super-human strength to carry on. For the first 18 years of her life she had effortlessly excelled in every area of her life, and the future seemed to be brimming with infinite potential. Then, in a split-second, it was all over and she found herself having to come to terms with life in a wheelchair. She reached a stage where she could not even move her little finger no matter how hard she tried.

A disability is not just a mere robbing of the physical vital functions of body parts, although that is painful enough, but for most it also brings with it the loss of a sense of dignity and self-worth, and a feeling of becoming secluded from the world. For Soul free, hence an important agenda is to build or retain the self-esteem in the victims of severe disability by helping them identify their own strengths and latent talents and earn a living and command respect, not mere sympathy from others.

If Preethi intends to be the sturdy support of the severely disabled in need, it is Preethi’s parents who have in turn, been her backbone. In fact, it was Preethi’s mother who had convinced her to start such an organization. The greatest blessing in her life is her parents who've always showered her with unconditional love and support. After the accident their generosity of spirit and greatness was even more evident as they quietly sacrificed their lives so that she could live with dignity.
However, not everyone is as blessed in this respect. Many families feel burdened by the responsibility of a severely disabled member. And if such a person is a woman, and that too from an economically weaker section, then it spells a bigger trouble. Soul free aims to tackle this key issue by having certain rehabilitative measures like providing a home for quadriplegics and paraplegics who wish to live independently or are unable to get adequate support from immediate family, and making available skilled and qualified doctors, physiotherapists and attendants on call, and also have a care giver training institute.
It was probably her born intuition about people, her keen interest on the workings of the human mind, human relationships and perhaps her natural talent to be a secret keeper where people would comfortably divulge personal and confidential thoughts with her that made her want to study psychology. But that wasn't meant to be for the girl who in grade 12, had made it to the Who’s Who List of America for being among the country’s top two percent meritorious students!
In 2001 her father approached various universities (in Tamil Nadu) to join a bachelors in psychology. However, the rule book was thrown at them stating that she would have to come and spend 15 days at the University for compulsory contact classes, and that the buildings at the University are not wheelchair accessible at all. At one point her father got vexed and said that there was no need for some paper certifying that she is intelligent or knowledgeable. He brought her books she could read and expand her horizons with, and so she continued the learning process, even though she couldn't have a degree.
It seemed as if her excelling experience in swimming and cricket was being tested severely. She had to swim against the societal tide of rejection, pity and even being associated with misfortune. Her shoulders might have given way, but her sturdy will power and family support made her hold on to the bat and hit all the curve balls and off spins that fate was mercilessly bowling out at her in the battlefield of life. She took a pause and once again started hitting out to the boundaries

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There were dreams that were abandoned and hobbies that had to be given up but that gave way for new ones. Preethi has given several inspiring talks of motivation at various institutions. Through her words and example, she feels that she can be a source of inspiration for many, and motivate them.
Through her organization, Preethi hopes to create a massive change in the Indian society for the severely disabled by spreading awareness. Soul free aims to create gainful employment for those who can only use their voices. This initiative, called “Throat Fort” aims to train quadriplegics in the use of their voice for various vocations like recording of audio books, radio jockeys, voice dubbing artists, telephone marketing, etc.
The NGO that is still in its infancy is one of its kind in India and has the potential to bring about monumental change, an inclusive society and create a revolution for those suffering from severe physical disabilities. She have full faith that the citizens of India will respond to the sheer merit of the Soul free cause. Already, many people are coming out in support and wish to volunteer their time, expertise and resources for Soul free. She have no doubts that, as and when more and more people come to know, the movement will gain momentum and begin creating a positive impact in the lives of many.

We do wish Preethi and the Soul free initiative great success in achieving

 their goals and encourage all my readers to free their souls and do their bit for a more inclusive India.look beyond just the material realm, into something more meaningful and worthwhile. She honestly believes that she have been chosen as an instrument by the cosmic flow to spread light, love and laughter in the world, and the greater positive impact she can have in this world, the more fulfilled she feels.