KOLLAM: Anu Thankachan, a 43-year-old entrepreneur from Punalur, Kollam, is among the few who have defied the double discrimination of being a woman and disabled. Born in Chennai, Anu was paralysed from the waist down at the age of five after developing a reaction to a polio dose. However, her dream of becoming self-sufficient is what inspired her to live her life like any ordinary person.
"My disability is now part of my life and will remain so until I die. But I cannot live my life by becoming a burden to my family and loved ones. My inspiration and strength stem from my desire to become a self-sufficient woman and live my life on my own terms. My disability would not be a barrier to me becoming self-sufficient," says Anu.
The family returned to their native Punalur when she was in her teens. She continued being homeschooled but had to halt her studies due to financial constraints. “My adolescent years were difficult and painful. We lost the support of family members, and most of my relatives felt I would become a burden to them in the future,” Anu says.
In 2001, she launched a phone booth in Punalur town, marking the beginning of her journey to self-sufficiency. She ran the booth for 13 years. When the era of STD booths ended, she closed the business. However, her strong optimism towards life created new possibilities. She started a printing and bookselling business in Punalur. Now her bookshop, Kriba Book Stall, has become a local landmark.
“I opened the phone booth with the assistance of the Orthodox Church. The church provided me with the funds. I had to cross swords with various government departments to obtain official authorization. I eventually got going but had to close the STD booth after it was no longer profitable. Later, with the assistance of church officials, I opened my second venture, a bookstall and printing press in Punalur town” she says.
Anu currently lives in Nedumkayam, Punalur, with her mother, Aleyamma. She has to drive her motorised wheelchair for half an hour to her shop.
Despite the hurdles, she has mentioned that she is thoroughly enjoying her journey and has no regrets about her so-called fate.