VIJAYAWADA: A Manikanta was a drug addict by the age of 17. Unwilling to ask his father, a farmer and who lived miles away, for money to meet his daily expenses, he himself turned a peddler targeting youth of his age.
Hailing from Vijayanagaram, Manikanta had come to Vijayawada to pursue his graduation.
Manikanta was spotted selling drugs under a bridge near the Kondaveeti Vagu Lift Irrigation project in Undavalli in 2017. It was then when the Amaravati Walkers and Runners Association (AWARA) took him under its wing and decided to reform him.
What came as a surprise to the AWARA members was the fact that he was physically fit despite being an addict.
“We had previously seen him run by the river. Being a village boy, he used to help his father on the farm. However, he required physical training to help him lead a positive life. This was only possible by making him workout in a group, as he could communicate with other members who are well-educated,” said AWARA founder Ajay Katragdda.
Gradually, Manikanta started participating and winning local marathon events. This motivated him to win several national-level marathons.
But him losing in a qualifier for the last year’s Asian Games deterred his confidence to continue training for running events.
Eventually, he distanced himself from AWARA, and the group did not hear from Manikanta for the next six months.
One of the members of the group spotted him again around a year ago. But this time he was seen giving athletic training to a group of children from the nearby slum areas.
“After my unsuccessful attempt at the qualifier, I did not know how to face Ajay sir and my fellow mates in the group. They had put in so much efforts in training me. Winning that marathon was very important to me. I was disappointed with myself and, so, decided never to come back here again,” Manikanta said.
After getting him back, the group decided to engage him in community service to help him regain his lost confidence.
“We involved him in group activities such as cleaning the river bed and removing plastics from public places. He also started doing exercises that he used to do and regained his stamina. After this, we asked him to train other children who accompanied us for the community service during their holidays and weekends. He felt loved and accepted when children demanded to be trained by him and not anyone else,” said Madhusudhana Rao Devineni, an AWARA member who sponsored Manikanta during his marathon preparation.
“I felt nice when I received all the love and respect. I started attending college regularly and studied with full concentration. Before joining the group, I regularly consumed ganja and either skipped going to my classes or went late,” Manikanta, now a BCom graduate added.
He is also the first person from his family to have graduated from college.
Manikanta, now 20, has also cracked written and physical examinations of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and is waiting to clear the medical test, which he said he would be able to do with ease due to his training regimen and nutrition provided by AWARA.
“I wish to become a high ranking officer and serve my country along with helping other needy.”
Like Manikata, there are several others who have recovered from addiction through community service and group activities.
Psychiatrists also believe that community service is one of the best treatments for those suffering from addiction issues.
“People who are addicted or even those who wish to give up their smoking and drinking habits need a feeling of belongingness. The extra care, attention and love that they receive in groups help them rehabilitate. Sometimes, community service is even better than medication,” said Dr I S Reddy, a city-based psychiatrist.
Manikanta has become an inspiration for several children in the small village of Kunchanapalle, near Vijayawada, where he stays with his sister and brother-in-law.