Interview

Interview with Wheelchair Warrior – Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta

December 29, 2018

Interview with Wheelchair Warrior Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta

Interview with Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta is from Siliguri, West Bengal, now living in Andhra Pradesh, an International Graphic Designer, Motivational Speaker, Happiness Coach, a Singer and a Music Composer. With more than 50 fractures in his body, he has never allowed disability to cripple his life. All his body joints are fixed by now and he moves with the help of an electronic chair to commute with the outer world.

He does designs by operating a mouse with his left hand and that too with two fingers only. Being unable to do all the regular chores, he has taught himself to do such tasks, which all able bodies are not able to do. He happens to be the 4^th icon after Helen Keller, Stephen Hawking and Srikanth Bhola, who proved that physical disability does not come in the way of fostering leadership. Here is a List of Awards Won by Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta Ji.

1. Limca Book of Records 2018: National Record

2. India Book of Records 2018: National Record

3. Asia Book of Records 2018: Asian Record

4. Miracle World Records 2018: World Record

5. Indian Achiever Book of Records 2018: National Record

6. Telugu Book Book of Records 2018: National Record

7. World Records India 2018: World Record

8. Vajra World Records 2018: World Record

9. Assist World Records 2018: World Record

10. Assam Book of Records 2018: World Record

11. Honorary Doctorate from World Record University, United Kingdom

12. BEST GRAPHIC DESIGNER 2018 by blindwink, India leadership award

13. 4th Genius Indian Achiever’s Award 2018 by Genius Foundation, Ahmedabad

14. Bharat Prerna Award By Ample Missiion, Mumbai, 2018

15. Honoured as 4th Global Icon after Helen Keller, Stephen Hawking & Srikanth Bolla with leadership traits 2017

16. Dr. Batra’s Positive Health Award, Mumbai, 2017

17. 13TH WE AWARDS from International Women’s Magazine “WE” AS PERSISTENT ENTHUSIAST OF 2017, Chennai

18. CAVINKARE ABILITY MASTERY AWARD By Ability Foundation Chennai, 2017

19. Winner of All India WHEELCHAIR WANDERLUST Competition by UMOJA, Goa, 2016

20. DISHARI AWARD for the BEST CHILD SINGER OF WEST BENGAL by WEST BENGAL JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION, 1999 – 2000

21. CHAMPA DEVI MEMORIAL SAMMAN PURASKAAR by Hon’ble Urban & Development Minster of West Bengal, 2000

22. SRILA PRABHUPADA SMRITI SAMMAN from ISCON, 2000

23. DISHA LITTLE STAR AWARD, 1999

24. Best Child Artist Award from CCN CHANNEL, 1998

Wheelchair Warrior – Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta

Digital Guruji : Please introduce yourself to our audience.

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : Hi guys, I’m Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta, the Wheelchair Warrior of India, I am having a rare Brittle Bone Disease (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) and gone through more than 50 fractures already. I’m the only Differently Abled Happiness Coach in India and founder of Happiness Unlimited which strives to make this planet a better place to live with harmony, bliss & peace. I’m having a severe hearing impairment too and confined to an electric wheelchair.

I do international Graphic Designing and Virtual Typing with just one finger of my left hand. Disability is not an inability is once again proved by me. Being a winner of several awards, Limca, India, Asia Book of Record Holder, a self-taught international graphic designer, a singer & composer, the author of ‘My Life, My Love, My Dear Swami’ a book that has been translated into ten Indian languages, TEDx & Motivational Speaker, I’ve inspired millions worldwide through my natural smile.

As a Happiness Coach and entrepreneur, my mission is to bring back the purity of heart and genuine happiness in society.

Digital Guruji : What kind of problem did you face in your life?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : My first fractured happened when I was just 3 and a half months old. It was in my right hand and I was continuously crying. I was suffering but was not able to dictate my suffering. How much pain I’ve gone through those moments! I am not able to express here in words.

But my mother got my feelings. She understood my inner voice behind crying and diagnosed that I had broken my arm just by shifting from one lap to other, and she knew why I was crying because she is my mother. She captured all my feelings. Today after 27 years, when I look back to all these unpleasant memories, I feel my birth itself was very special and unique.

Life is full of challenges, obstacles, problems but joy is also there to face them courageously. When anyone asks me to narrate a great miracle of God, I always narrate my story as my existence in this world is nothing but a Miracle of God. In my life, I have gone through many sufferings. My body has endured more than 50 fractures in various parts due to a rare disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta is commonly known as Brittle Bone Disease.

But in another side I have received huge love from people. I have received great inspiration from millions of people. So if I list them down, they will cross my suffering list because I always tried to win over my suffering.

Digital Guruji : What did you do to get rid of it?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : From my childhood, I was a dancer. I used to imitate all the dance forms just by witnessing them. Then one day doctors from Kolkata suggested to my parents that dance is not my cup of tea. So I come to know for the first time that I am like other children. I’m different. I was very immature to understand that I am having a very rare disease which is going to restrict me from leading a normal life. After I restricted myself from dancing, I thought to do something by staying in a safe zone as I was realizing that my bones are so brittle just like glass. Then I started singing.

Upon being inspired by my mother, I took singing as a platform to express my inner voice. My mother Shila Dasgupta is my first Music Guru. Later I took Hindustani Vocal training from Smt. Kumudini Mundkur. I won the ‘Dishari Award’ for the ‘Best Child Singer of West Bengal’ in 1999-2000. I also got several opportunities to showcase my talent, before accomplished artists of India such as Manna Dey, Ustad Rashid Khan, Anup Jalota, Anuradha Poudwal, Ajoy Chakraborty, Bhupen Hazarika to name a few. Later I composed more than 170 songs and has already released five music albums.

Digital Guruji : What are your Future Plans?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta :: People often ask me how is it possible to stay happy in today’s time where people are ready to make you down. Then I just smile. My new foundation and mission #HappinessUnlimited says, it possible. My future plan is to create an accessible happy society.

I’ve started this foundation in 2017 as a community for happy minds and to pursue real unlimited happiness. Its also a unique brand through which, he would like to bring back the purity of heart and genuine happiness in society. Millions of people supported him in this mission which strives to make this planet a better place to live a healthy life with harmony.

My happy community visit surrounding areas to motivate people mentally and technically to build a happy society. Able people around feel that the disabled are not here to celebrate their life. That’s why I thought about creating this mission ‘HAPPINESS UNLIMITED’ for the whole community to change their outlook. So this mission and community purely help people to find the purpose of their life and march towards their goals with a happy feeling which is different altogether. Whatever technological knowledge I have, I would like to distribute that to people who are yearning to learn new things and it will gradually upgrade the lives in rural societies.

I would like to reach more people to show them the power of positivity as if I can be happy, being a 90% differently abled guy, what is stopping them to express real happiness. My journey will show all that pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. Miracles are not something that happens once in a while. Same way #HappinessUnlimited is helping all to create those miracles through unlimited unique possibilities.

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Digital Guruji : How do you manage your time?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : I’m a graphic designer. So its head for me to find time for me. I do design by operating a mouse with my left hand which only works now and that too with two fingers only. Me hold the mouse with my thumb and click with my index finger. I discovered virtual keyboard in my laptop which is a common feature in every system but nobody uses it because they don’t need it.

Also I do Live and Skype sessions with people and inspired millions especially, global leaders, scholars, doctors, students, corporate people & young professionals with live & online sessions of my motivational talks. Also I have conducted sessions various institutes like Microsoft, Accenture, Marriott Hotels, Medicover etc. in different states of India, as well as in US, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal. Being a 90% disabled, I’ve been honored as 4th Global Icon after Helen Keller, Stephen Hawking & Srikanth Bolla with leadership traits acknowledged by people around the world. I’m doing research on accessibility and I hope to bring positive awareness to transform India into a wheelchair friendly country.

Digital Guruji : Any success mantras for our readers?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : My mantras for being successful is very simple. Think out of the box and do something which you are good at! Life is too short to celebrate it fully. So give value to your every moment.

It is never too late to start creating that life which you have always dreamt of. Please, do not compare yourself with others. No two individuals are same. We all are special and we are unique. Just get up, throw your pains, feeling of helplessness and put your trust on yourself. Find your creative skills and capabilities. Explore more to express your true self.

Digital Guruji : What makes you feel happy?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : Over time, I have realized that people aren’t very happy, they just pretend to be. So I finally chose this unique option to become a Happiness Coach as Happiness itself is an identity, which describes the real essence of human life.

Happiness is something which most of the Indian people never tasted yet. They search for Happiness everywhere but they are lacking in finding it in the right places. I feel so sad when people complain about silly things and that they don’t have enough opportunities to excel in life, people feel caged and they blame and complain about others.

They feel happiness can be brought by situations, people and their behavior. But they never satisfy with their belongings. Comparing our THIS with their THAT, we keep postponing our happiness but I can tell that happiness is inner stuff. Seek it within and you will get it.

Happiness is something which you can get double if you share once. So naturally, I feel great spreading it around me in various forms and possibilities. I would like to build a happiness community to show the world that if you have the will, you have ways. Through the power of positivity, everybody can be happy. If being a 90% differently abled guy, I can be a Happiness Coach, then what is stopping you all to express real happiness? It’s free of cost.

Digital Guruji : Dr. Sai Kaustuv what are your weakness?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta :I can’t accept negativity. People always make you down with their negative words. And I really feel pity when people share their problems. So that’s my weakness to not accept those negative vibes from people.

It was a huge honor to meet Jerry White, the co-recipient of the #Nobel #Peace #Prize. He lost his leg in a landmine accident & led efforts to enact human rights & #humanitarian laws that protect the #rights of 650 million people with #disabilities. I feel so proud to meet him! pic.twitter.com/5Z3aFGaKWu

— Dr. Sai Kaustuv (@SaiKaustuv) December 11, 2018

Digital Guruji : Who is your ideal and why?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta :When I see this question, only one name came to my mind i.e. Stephen Hawking. He is my ideal. Beside him, my main driving forces are my parents Kaushik Dasgupta & Shila Dasgupta. They are like living angels for me. From morning to night they assist me in each and everything. Without their help, I can’t move an inch too. They were very supportive from the time I was diagnosed with this disease.

My parents inspired me always to choose what I love to do and it is their greatness which made me see the world in my own way. Besides them, my younger brother Kushal too motivated me a lot. Whenever I have decided to do something new, he always inspired me to go ahead for it. Because of them, today’s Sai Kaustuv has come a long way in spite of having this deadly disease and got millions of people’s love.

Digital Guruji : What’s your daily life routine?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : I believe in simple living but high thinking. So from morning to night, I try to live a life which can inspire at least one person. It might sound unbelievable, but my belief after the outcome of depression, used to travel beyond all boundaries and that belief became my main strength to fight against all odds. In spite of so many difficulties, I lead my life with positivity. Physically I am unable to do anything on my own and fully dependent on my parents.

From brushing to washing my face, eating and dressing up, my parents only help me to complete. I am also unable to sit properly for long hours and unable to do all regular daily activities. Being unable to do all regular works, I have taught myself to do such works, which normal people are unable to do. I thought to change myself to change the world around me. And in that process, whatever I received is because of my parents. They are my life, my world.

I go to places to meet with people and complete my designing assignments. Then I conduct Happiness Programs, coaching, concealing for people. In my free time, I listen to other great leaders and as I love spirituality a lot, so I spend my time in chanting Vedas, hymns, and mantras.

Digital Guruji : Any special message – Experience?

Dr. Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta : So many experiences are there in this Happiness journey which are worth to cherish. So many people’s lives transformed and touched during my sessions. Once one guy from Odissa wrote to me that people living in this world are really unaware that what real achievement is.

They run behind success to earn money and get caught by high BP, Low BP, tension, depression, frustration and what not and end up with diseases and all. Where people like me are the one on whom normal public feel sympathy.

We should feel sympathetic on ourselves as we are not happy after being blessed with good-looking, richness, knowledge, physical abilities and other gifts from God. We still don’t know how to live our life selflessly and happily. He took me as his Happiness Guru and follows the path of happiness shown by me in various talks and speeches. Such feedback really means a lot to me and while spreading happiness, I too learn many happy lessons from millions around me.

Being a 90% differently able guy, I have turned my disability into my specialty to make you all SMILE! So throw challenges towards life and enjoy the ups & downs. Always be happy and grateful because life is a unique story. Everything is possible, nothing to worry!