#BeingMom – Celebrating my mother, Mrs Krishna Kumari – My Take by Aparna Murthy

In My Take this week, Aparna Murthy, a bank officer, talks about the many ways her mother has supported and inspired her.

Parents are always instrumental in shaping the life of a child. Things were no different in my case.

Upon discovering that I had a vision impairment due to a medical negligence, my mother took it upon herself to ensure that I got the best of circumstances to grow and flourish.

Realising the limitations posed by the past conditions of Hyderabad, my mother convinced my father to move to Delhi. I enrolled at the National Association for the Blind and she would follow up with the teachers, even learning Braille herself. She ensured my inclusion in school by transcribing my assignments, so I was at par with everyone else in the class.

My mother treated me with an open mind, finding ways to make things inclusive, be it at home or during religious ceremonies. She would encourage me to participate in cultural and social activities, helping me with plays, etc.

She ensured both her children had access to the best possible education, never treating me differently from my brother. While not very educated herself, she made up for that by engaging with various people to access relevant information. What makes my mother special is her zeal to learn something from everyone. Her extroverted nature helps to a great extent. She is daring and does not shy away from any challenge. When we moved to Delhi, we had to choose between a specialised school and an integrated setup. Even after realising the various challenges it may bring, she enrolled me in an integrated setup. She went on to help by making my recordings, even recording books for many of my seniors and so on.

Letting go

When it came to a graduate degree, I successfully got through to Lady Shriram College, (LSR), but opted for St. Stephen’s College. My mother was initially apprehensive, even picking me up and dropping me off to the college campus every weekend. Staying on campus, and later my joining a Master’s program at the Jawaharlal Nehru University gave me the push to move around independently.

Eventually, with her constant guidance and support I appeared for the competitive exams and joined a public sector bank where I work as a manager at present. Here again, she had concerns about my travel but after many discussions, she was convinced I would be able to travel on my own in the Metro.

Looking back at all that she has done to establish and support me, I realise that the one thing missing in all of this is that I have never told her how much she means to me, how much I value her presence in my life. I also realise very well that not only do I need to acknowledge her contribution in my life but also celebrate it. I am certainly very blessed and fortunate to have her in my life.

ALSO READ:
What I want to tell my mother – NewzHook readers share their thoughts

Watch in Sign Language