Bengaluru: About 20-years ago, when a doctor had told Narasimha Kamath and Sneha Kamath that their child, Sarthak Kamath was suffering from a rare disorder called Duschenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), they had gazed at the skies in despair and questioned ‘Why Us?’
Very little did this couple from Kasargod, settled in Bengaluru know that this boy with the rare progressive Neuromuscular disorder would outgrow his disability and some day become Stephen Hawking of India, in his own way.
In all likelihood, Sarthak Kamath (24) is going to be entering Limca Book of World Records for being the first person in the world to become a qualified doctor with this health condition.
Securing 70 per cent in his final MBBS examinations, Sarthak has stood by his name and has achieved the unimaginable. Now, he is gearing up for his internship in community medicines in M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, which is his alma mater as well.
Speaking to newskarnataka.com Sarthak says that disability is in the mind, not in body and one without aim is life is ‘disabled’ in true sense!
As motivational speaker, Sarthak’s pep talks also revolve around the same.
Bound to his wheelchair over the last 12 years, Sarthak refused to sob or weep over his condition, instead he took control of his life.
The rest is history.
He was just 12-years-old when the symptoms of DMD started taking him to its grip. After being denied an opportunity to continue schooling in a reputed school in Bengaluru because of his condition and after being constantly looked at by the world through the prism of ‘abnormality’, Sarthak only emerged to be a stronger and more determined person.
Though his initial dreams of becoming a pilot did not take off mainly due to his condition, he made up his mind to become a doctor, simply because of his curiosity to know about the functioning of human body and also to find an answer for his own condition so that it he can be a medium to help others with the same condition.
Who are your inspirations, ask him and pat comes the answer-Stephen Hawking and David Hartman.
“These are the people who have inspired me. Every time I looked at Stephen Hawking, I told myself that his condition is worse than mine and if he can overcome his condition then even I can,” says Sarthak.
He is surely a humble person because when asked whom he owes his success to, he had a few names to thank.
Apart from faculty of M S Ramaiah Medical College for being so kind and helpful, he talks of one Raghavendra Rao, who is almost his man Friday.
“I could not have achieved this without him. Raghavendra Rao has been like a shadow. Every time the lift in the college building failed, Rao would carry me to the third or fourth floor,” says Sarthak.
In an affectionate tone, Sarthak adds that he is indebted to his mother Sneha Kamath and father Narasimha Kamath for all the struggle, love, belief.
What about future?
Well, Sarthak is not someone who believes in that.
“I live for this very moment. That is more exciting to me,” he says, however, as far as his studies is concerned, he wants to specialise in radiology or dermatology or psychiatry.
Meanwhile, there is jubilation in Kamath household, for Sarthak will soon start his internship.
“He is someone who lives for today. He lives life as it comes. With all the hardships that he has faced, if he is so full of life and light, we need to learn from him,” says Narasimha Kamath, Sarthak’s father, who is the Vice-President (Operations) Kotak Urja.
“He visited the college on Thursday, met all the faculty, had a talk with them. The orientation programme is on March 15 and 16 and he is all excited for the same,” says Kamath adding that he would start his internship with community medicine.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the family was out for a huge surprise when former minister for urban development Suresh Kumar visited their residence and had a long chat with Sarthak.
The connection is that many years ago, when Sarthak was a highschooler in ASM School, Nandini Layout, (the school which accepted Sarthak and his condition with open arms) Kumar had honoured him.
Now, when Sarthak is embarking on a remarkable journey, Kumar decided to meet him in person.
Sarthak Kamath, as a student from Sheshadripuram Pre University Composite College, had secured 1,708th rank in CET (Medical/dental).
Kudos to the grit and determination of Sarthak.
What is DMD?
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) progressive Neuromuscular disorder, which results in muscle degeneration.
The disorder is caused by a mutation in the gene dystrophin located on the human X Chromosome, which codes for the protein dystophin.
It is said that one out of 3,600 boys are affected by this disorder.
While both sexes can carry the mutation, females are rarely affected.
Symptoms usually appear in boys between the ages of 2 and 3 and may be visible in early infancy.
Usually the muscle weakening starts with legs and pelvis and would eventually spread to the arms, neck, and other areas.
