Prabal Malaker
The next nominee of #IndiaMSDay Person of the Year 2019 is Group Captain Prabal Malaker (Retd) who like everyone here knows has served the country as an air force fighter pilot and is now part of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India – MSSI – Delhi.
On the phone from his home, he is full of passion, cheer and life as he starts to describe his journey through #MS. Back in 1994, while on a flight, Prabal experienced a near-death experience when he suddenly couldn’t see anything in front of him and crash-landed his aircraft. By early 1995 the symptoms of MS had started affecting his ability to go for his morning jogs/walks. Since in those days even the doctors did not have much awareness of this disease, he got referred to a wrong specialist. During his posting in Bhuj he noticed a reduced capacity for walking and dragging of the foot and finally after visiting a Mumbai hospital was diagnosed with #multiplesclerosis.
Even though Prabal retired from service at the age of 52, he says that now he has more time and so he spends it pragmatically. The day I was speaking to him, this air force veteran had already finished a round of 1.5 hours of yoga, 1 hour of swimming and a visit to the library in the morning!
He has been an active member of the Executive Committee and is the Honorary Secretary of the MSSI Delhi chapter
He has been actively involved with Disability Rights Group and has appeared on shows for Rajya Sabha TV to petition for disability rights
He is an avid traveller and has been to Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Rome, Pondicherry, and Chennai in the last year alone, setting a tone that for the strong-willed disability is no challenge
He believes that a strong, supporting family is what helps with reducing the rate of MS degeneration
His message for both MS warriors and supporters are:
“If you have a problem, accept it. Keep your mind strong and paths will open up. Be positive. Work within those challenges and carry on with life”