#530 - Grit : The Vishwas Story

by Vishwas K S & V R Ferose and illustrated by Sriram Jagannathan

“Grit : The Vishwas Story” by Vishwas K S & V R Ferose and illustrated by Sriram Jagannathan. Published by Hachette. An inspirational fast paced biography in graphic novel format of a real life superhero who did not let his fate bring him down.

Vishwas was a carefree ten year old when he lost his arms in a tragic accident. His father died while trying to save him. Suddenly his world had changed. Every normal activity posed challenges and seemed quite impossible to do. Every day was a constant reminder of what his life would have been like if the accident had not happened. He had to fight guilt, grief, pain and depression through his growing up years. The unwavering support of his mother and the rest of the extended family was what helped him along the way. The next setback that he faced after graduation was that nobody was ready to give him a job.

Vishwas did not give up. He wanted to test his limits and spend his time productively. He started learning swimming, kung fu as well as dance. These activities acted as productive means of channelling his frustration and anger about the unfairness of his circumstances. The support of his friends and his coaches along with his family ensured that he evolved into a force to reckon with. He became a successful para swimmer participating in many national as well as international tournaments winning many medals. He also became popular due to his dance performances on TV shows and at events. While his self confidence and spirit received a boost, there were enough challenges that he had to face at every stage. But he faced them all with indomitable grace. Read this powerful tale of a man who braved many hardships in life striving for differently abled people to be included and respected by society.

The story is awe inspiring to say the least. A real life superhero like Vishwas who has proved that there is no limit for his abilities by his achievements. My almost ten year old son and I found this a compelling read. Given that the book is in graphic novel format, we managed to read the book in just 2-3 readings despite it being exam season. The fabulous illustrations as well as the narrative balanced each other perfectly creating a stunning as well as impactful effect. It was as though we were watching the events unfold in the life of Vishwas on paper. The book is part of the “Grit” series which brings stories of exceptional achievers to inspire young readers to reach their targets despite the challenges that they have to face in life. Some of the traits of Vishwas which we found quite motivating are resilience, adaptability, courage, determination, hope, trust and grit of course after which the series is named. We had already read about (and met) Vikram Agnihotri who is another inspiring personality like Vishwas in his book “Look Ma, No Hands!”. The book is a means of supporting people like Vishwas and making our society more inclusive, empathetic as well as informed. Overall a “MUST READ”. Thank you Sangitha Krishnamurthi for recommending this amazing book. We now look forward to reading more books from the series.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for everyone aged 10 and above.