<p class="title">Ace blade runner Shalini Saraswathi, who realised her dreams through determination and commitment, is an inspiration for all.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"When you come close to losing your life, you realise not to take things for granted," declared the blade runner, a quadruple amputee, who had won the bronze medal at the national-level para athletics held a year ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini's talk was first in a series of lectures planned as run up to Manipal Marathon (being planned on February 2020) at MMMC Hall-MAHE in Manipal on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini, who aims at participating in the 100-metre and 200-metre sprints in 2020, said that disability never came in her way from achieving what she wanted in life.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"At times even I have cried and mourned my situation of being limbless. But crying your heart out and mourning is therapeutic which I have realised," she said and added that 'strength' is my core area.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, it made me completely accept my disability after three years of the tragedy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She said, "I feel great while I run. It gives me motivation. I want to participate in marathons across the world and for now, it is all about standing up on my own legs and taking one step at a time."</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2013, pregnant with her first child and returning from her marriage anniversary celebration in Cambodia, Shalini developed a mild fever. But the fever soon worsened and Shalini was diagnosed to have developed an acute case of 'Rickettsial with Morts', a rare bacterial infection.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini’s life turned upside down over the next few months. She remained in the ICU of a local hospital, where she lost her baby, something that Shalini considers as the biggest loss of her life.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After two years of struggle, she finally gathered the capacity to run half marathon at TCS 10K race in Bengaluru.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini said that she is a big supporter of organ donation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"After this life, the body parts will not help us anyway," she said and added that it makes no difference for her to offer prayers at temples or churches.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini is also grateful to her family and friends, who are her pillar of strength in her ups and downs.</p>
<p class="title">Ace blade runner Shalini Saraswathi, who realised her dreams through determination and commitment, is an inspiration for all.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"When you come close to losing your life, you realise not to take things for granted," declared the blade runner, a quadruple amputee, who had won the bronze medal at the national-level para athletics held a year ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini's talk was first in a series of lectures planned as run up to Manipal Marathon (being planned on February 2020) at MMMC Hall-MAHE in Manipal on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini, who aims at participating in the 100-metre and 200-metre sprints in 2020, said that disability never came in her way from achieving what she wanted in life.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"At times even I have cried and mourned my situation of being limbless. But crying your heart out and mourning is therapeutic which I have realised," she said and added that 'strength' is my core area.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, it made me completely accept my disability after three years of the tragedy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She said, "I feel great while I run. It gives me motivation. I want to participate in marathons across the world and for now, it is all about standing up on my own legs and taking one step at a time."</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2013, pregnant with her first child and returning from her marriage anniversary celebration in Cambodia, Shalini developed a mild fever. But the fever soon worsened and Shalini was diagnosed to have developed an acute case of 'Rickettsial with Morts', a rare bacterial infection.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini’s life turned upside down over the next few months. She remained in the ICU of a local hospital, where she lost her baby, something that Shalini considers as the biggest loss of her life.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After two years of struggle, she finally gathered the capacity to run half marathon at TCS 10K race in Bengaluru.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini said that she is a big supporter of organ donation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"After this life, the body parts will not help us anyway," she said and added that it makes no difference for her to offer prayers at temples or churches.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shalini is also grateful to her family and friends, who are her pillar of strength in her ups and downs.</p>