‘Pahalisha, you won’t be able to walk anymore,’ said the doctor. ‘Is that so? Then I’ll fly...’
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He looked down from the plane that had taken off and reached 13,000 feet... The city of Dubai spread out in the middle of the desert below... He felt like his dreams were sprouting wings. He flew down from the open diving window like a bird. When he crossed the clouds, flew and landed on the ground with a parachute, fate must have been on its knees. That's how it is, for some people determination and willpower are enough to fly above life. Some people may grow wings instead of the legs that fate stole...
The life of Kairali TMT Director Pahalisha Kalliyath is a story of self-confidence. In 2009, after being completely paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident and spending a year and a half in a hospital bed, Pahalisha is reclaiming each day with a strong sense of confidence and determination. Nothing stands in the way. He is conquering each of his desires step by step.
The boxing ring of life
After his Plus Two studies, Pahalisha, who started going to the gym regularly with his brother Humayoon Kalliyath, gradually took up powerlifting. He won several championships and even participated in the National Powerlifting Championship held in Rajasthan in 2008. But gradually, his desire shifted to the boxing ring. During his college studies, he won several university boxing competitions. While returning from Idukki after participating in the state championship, Pahalisha's car met with an accident in Thondayadu, Kozhikode, in the early hours of the day. That's where his life changed.
Three lives
Pahalisha sees life after the accident in three stages. “It took a long time to come back to life. It was a time when anyone would be completely exhausted. Later, I spent my life in hospitals. I was in a coma for about 15 days. I was treated in Vellore for a year and a half. I see that time in three stages. First, the time when I was completely depressed after the accident. The days I spent in the hospital. The time when I was limited to the question of what to do next. I couldn’t even button my shirt or write. It took a long time to move on from that. After seven or eight months, I started sitting in a wheelchair. That was the second stage. That’s when I started to feel a little relieved. That stage of accepting that the accident had happened. The third stage was the stage of fighting the situation and moving forward. Trying to get my life back. My mother Asya pampered me like a baby again. My father Abdul Gafoor, elder brother Humayoon, sisters Farida and Mariam Rinu and friends were with me. The first thing that came to mind was to complete my studies in college. Was studying B.Com in college. I started going to college again, in a wheelchair. My friends used to take me to college. Later, I completed my MBA remotely and went into business. I look after the sales and marketing. Now, (I'm) director of Kairali TMT,” says Pahalisha.
Skydiving on the bucket list
One reason for including skydiving in my bucket list was to overcome any fear I had. Doing a challenging and adventurous activity like skydiving was a big deal for me. I went skydiving in Dubai in 2019. I had looked into it in 2015, but couldn't do it because I was overweight. Later, after exercising and losing weight, I went skydiving again in 2019. Since my lower back was weak, I had to prepare a doctor's certificate from home for this. It was a full day of training. I was determined to overcome all the obstacles and return home only after skydiving. That was the moment I beat myself up. It increased my confidence many times over. I skydived from 13,000 feet. Later, I did other adventurous activities, including scuba diving. I love driving. But when I first came back from the accident, long-distance travel was exhausting. Due to my low immune system, I got sick frequently. Later, I changed that with regular exercise and physiotherapy. Now I drive myself. I have modified my car accordingly. I self-drive even on long-distance trips. I still practice punching while sitting in a wheelchair.
Should keep them with us
People's sympathetic looks and questions are what cause the most difficulty for the differently-abled. I am someone who has recognized that. At first, I was hesitant even to go out. But, later I learned to ignore the sympathetic looks. Today, I have the courage to go anywhere alone. A challenge was set to provide jobs to differently-abled people in Kairali TMT in 2023. Accordingly, many are working in the company today. The idea behind this initiative itself is that no one should suffer from not getting a job due to physical limitations. The company has been able to transform itself into a completely differently-abled-friendly place. There is also a new project. Kairali TMT is planning to provide differently-abled-friendly facilities in public places. As the first phase of this, wheelchair ramps are being prepared in 20 places.
Choice of a Lifetime
Pahalisha says that No matter how confident you are, having someone with you gives you courage. When Naseeha Muhammad, who was with me during my college days, came along, it made a big difference in my life. She was the one who understood all my shortcomings and stood by me when I fell down. We have two children; Tauban bin Pahalisha and Binyamin bin Pahalisha. Naseeha is also an entrepreneur. She runs her own coffee shop, Pahalisha says.