Rewinding fifteen years from today, Anjurani Joy recalls the day when she was watching a fascinating TV show in which a man was holding a glass upside down with just his index finger and thumb. It fascinated little Anju to the extent that she started practising it right away. Now, you might think this is no big deal, but try it for yourself and you’ll know. Not only is it difficult to gain a grip, but soon, your hands will start aching. It is indeed a feat that takes patience and skill to master. Fast forward to today, Anju holds a world record for balancing two glass jars which weigh about two kilograms in the same way she saw the man on TV do. Way to go!
This unique achievement helped Anju set the record in the Universal Records Forum (India) and Record Setter (USA) in the year 2015. But how did things fall in place, we wonder. She takes us back to the point where things started. "After I watched the programme on TV, I was awestruck. It looked like the glasses were floating in the air and the person had no physical contact with it. This amazed me. I started practising it at home every day. Since I was at home most of the time, I could focus on anything that interested me to the fullest. Once I got used to balancing the glasses, I started increasing the weight slowly and moved to balance glass jars. My friends and relatives were my first audience and encouraged me to apply for the world record," beams Anju who is from Thiruvananthapuram. These feats were featured on Malayalam television shows like Big Salute, Comedy Utsavam and Ugram Ujjwalam.
Did we mention that Anju is differently-abled? She was born with a bent spinal cord and her feet are bent inward. Since the nerves in her legs are weak, she can’t walk even with support. “This was why I couldn't continue schooling after class IV," she says. Now we understand why she mentioned that she had enough time to pursue her interests.
However, Anju is as busy as a bee. She continued her education at home. "My dad is a teacher. So it was comparatively easy to arrange for home tuitions. Teachers came home and taught me lessons. I am a degree holder now," shares the BA Sociology graduate. The 31-year-old completed her degree in 2012 and when we asked her about her other accomplishments, she says, "Well, I am an entrepreneur, model, actor and also part of a theatre team of wheelchair-bound artists named Thanal - Freedom on Wheels. I maintain the right balance between them all to keep myself busy." Definitely, she is an inspiration on wheels!