Girl completes MD after losing both her legs in train accident

Girl completes MD after losing both her legs in train accident

Mateen.Hafeez@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:19.09.2021

Thirteen years ago, when Jogeshwari resident Roshan Jawwad lost both her legs in a train accident, she thought her life had come to a standstill and she would never fulfil her childhood dream of becoming a doctor. But the brave girl has showed she is made of sterner stuff, fighting against all odds to realise her desire.

Today, Roshan has completed her MD in pathology and has proved that where there is a will there is a way. Despite her handicap and bureaucracy’s difficult rules, the 29-year-old did not give up hope. In fact, the adversities strengthened her resolve.

“I am very happy to have passed MD. It has been difficult, but I had promised myself that I won’t give up,” Roshan told TOI. In October 2008, Roshan and her school friends were returning from Andheri to Jogeshwari by train when she fell onto the tracks and her legs came under a moving train.

Her lower limbs were severed at the ankle and thigh. Roshan, who scored 92.15% in her Class X exams in 2008, was returning home after writing her college exam papers at Bandra’s Anjuman-i-Islam girl’s college. Her father was a vegetable vendor when the accident took place.

Her journey to become a doctor has not been easy. She had to approach Bombay high court for admission in MBBS even after cracking the medical entrance exam. There was a rule that allowed only people with “up to 70% handicap” to study medicine but she was found to be 86% handicapped post-accident. She approached court for help to be able to study medicine. While facing financial problems, she had to make several rounds of the court during the legal battle for admission. Then Chief Justice of Bombay HC, Justice Mohit Shah, directed the college to give her admission. She never looked back since then.

Roshan passed MBBS with first class in 2016 from Seth GS Medical College (KEM hospital). She cracked the PG medical entrance exams in 2018 and got admission to the same college for MD (pathology). “Before admission in MD, I faced the same problem of 86% disability. The forms were to be applied online and I had only two days. Kirit Somaiya, then an MP, met the Union health minister with my documents and I learnt that the upper limit for disabled for admission was changed. I applied and got admission,” Roshan said.

During her second year in MD, she said, she was diagnosed with bone tumour. “I was operated upon and during this time our HoD, Dr Amita Joshi, my batchmates, teachers and friends helped me a lot,” said Roshan. In the MD results, declared on Wednesday, she secured fourth position at KEM pathology department with 65% marks.

She said she has a two-year bond service for MBBS and MD and will complete it first. “After this, if there is vacancy in any government hospital, I will apply. My plan is to start a laboratory and diagnostic centre in rural area where people have to travel long distance for medical tests. If I get financial help, I will start it or will wait till I am financially equipped to start a laboratory. My centre will have concessional testing and free testing for poor people,” added Roshan.