His progressive neuromuscular disorder, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, might have him confined to a wheelchair. However, Sarthak Kamath continues to chase his dreams, as always.
Kamath, without the help of any scribe, scored first class marks in his MBBS final year.
The 24-year-old told Deccan Herald, “It has not been easy. I have had supportive friends and family. The college has also supported me,” he said. It was the thought that he would be able to help many after studying the functioning of the human body in detail that prompted him to take up the course, Kamath said.
A student of MS Ramaiah Medical College, Kamath aspires to pursue his post-graduation in Radiology, Dermatology or Psychiatry.
Even as he is on physiotherapy every day, Kamath said that his visits to the doctor or his treatment did not come in the way of his studies as he scheduled it well. “I would not keep anything till the last minute. I was in the habit of studying every day.”
His mother, Sneha Kamath, was quick to recognise that her son possibly had a problem. “He would trip and fall frequently as a child. So, we took him to a doctor. He was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of four,” she recalled.
The journey then on, the family opines, has been challenging by the day. He was just 14 when the private school where he was studying asked him to stay at home as the disorder progressed. Kamath was forced to stay home for six months.
Eventually, after admitting her son to a different school, a concerned mother joined there as a teacher to ensure that he feels at place.
When he was almost into depression, Parvathy Vishwanath, the principal of ASM School in Nandini Layout, was the one who encouraged him to never give up, said his mother. Another challenge that he faced was the change in medium of instruction with the change in school. However, Kamath managed to score 92% in his class 10 exams.
Raghavendra Rao, Kamath’s helper, has played no small role in his achievement. A Facebook post by Rajajinagar MLA Suresh Kumar says, “Raghavendra Rao has been his shadow, accompanying him from morning till late night. When the lifts in the college failed, Raghavendra used to carry Sarthak up to three or four floors,” the post read.