THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For most of his adult life, flying officer M P Anil Kumar was tied to a wheel chair, courtesy a freak accident in 1988. But that did not prevent this man hailing from Chirayikeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district from becoming an inspiration for thousands of youngsters across the nation. On Tuesday, Air Marshal S Neelakantan, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command, will release ‘Born to Fly,’ a biography of the late Anil Kumar at his alma mater, the Sainik School, Kazhakootam.
‘Born to Fly,’ which has seen a national release by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in New Delhi on October 24, has been penned by Anil’s National Defence Academy batch mate Nitin Sathe, now an Air Commodore who is now Air Officer Commanding 1 Air Force Selection Board (AFSB). “ The book is a moving story of an air warrior who defied his destiny and led a meaningful life at the army’s Paraplegic Centre at Pune for 26 long years after he met with a freak accident at Air Force Station Pathankot way back in 1988,” a defence spokesperson said.
The accident left Anil paralysed neck down and frozen in a wheel chair. But the debilitating condition made him realise the power of the written word. His first essay ‘From Air borne to Chairborne,’ written by clutching a pen in his mouth, became an instant hit. The essay was a recounting of his accident and its aftermath. The piece was touching and inspiring that Maharashtra, and subsequently Kerala, included it in school text books. ‘Born to Fly’ recounts the physical, mental and emotional struggles that Anil Kumar went through as he tried to piece his life together at the paraplegic centre in Khadki, Pune. Rather than return home to Thiruvananthapuram, Anil Kumar had chosen to stay on at the centre.
Both Sathe and Anil Kumar were commissioned into the IAF in December 1984; Anil as a MiG 21 pilot while Sathe chose helicopters. As a motivational speaker and social commentator, Anil made friends all over the globe. Sathe had obtained Anil’s family’s permission before attempting the book. ‘Born to Fly’ traces Anil’s life as a youngster in Chirayinkeezhu, his days at the Sainik School Kazhakootam, the NDA and Air Force and 26 long years at Khadki. Sainik School cadets, representatives of the services, Anil’s family members and school officials will attend the event.