New Delhi: It’s Stephen Hawking reborn! There is no one else you can possibly think of when you come across Akshansh Gupta’s story. An ace mathematician, Akshansh was born with cerebral palsy that rendered most of his body dysfunctional. He says,

My condition was quite serious. I couldn’t hear well and often found myself fixated on one spot for extended periods of time in school. I felt isolated. Despite this, my mother chose to enrol me in a regular school.

Also Read: From Polio Paralysis To Powerhouse: The Remarkable Journey Of Shilpa Mehta Jain

Akshansh’s love for mathematics and science culminated into a couple of top degrees including a Masters in Technology and a PhD. He has also authored 14 publications. He says,

I was good at mathematics, but my teachers doubted me. Many people around me doubted my abilities. Then, in Class 10, I secured second position. I knew I could address their doubts only through my work and diligence. And I couldn’t have done it without support from my family.

This was just the beginning. Ever since, Akshansh has smashed all possible stereotypes around disability through his outstanding academic pursuits.

Akshansh also holds a strong opinion against having separate schools for children with disabilities. ‘If you send your child to a regular school, other students will come to know that such problems exist,’ he says.

Known affectionately as ‘Bunty Dada’, Akshansh says that the most memorable moment of his life remains when he was awarded the PhD by the Vice Chancellor of JNU. ‘My eyes welled up as I walked to the podium to receive the degree’

After he completed his PhD, he was offered a job as a temporary research associate at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where he worked for five years.

Currently, he is a scientist with CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI),Pilani. Besides, he also mentors students in their research work.

Hum sirf dusron se madad nahi lete hain, hum dusron ki madad kar bhi sakte hain.

Helped by two nurses, Akshansh begins each day on a positive note.