From setback to comeback: Anurag’s journey of perseverance

It was Republic Day, and I was returning home when a crossfire between two anti-social groups struck my cervical spine.  I went into a coma and spent months in a hospital bed. When I woke up, I learned that I had quadriplegia—a spinal cord injury that left me paralyzed below the shoulders. My hands, my legs were all gone in a moment. Two months later, my sister had a road accident that caused traumatic brain injury and memory loss. With both children disabled within weeks, our parents were completely shattered.

For almost a year, I was bed-ridden, unable to sit and feed myself. On the advice of my doctors, I began my first round of rehabilitation at the Indian Spinal Injuries Center in Delhi. Rehab was tough, but I tried to keep things simple. I set small goals for myself—sitting without help, feeding myself and moving from wheelchair to bed.

While rehabilitation helped, it was expensive, and I had to drop out often. Over the next four years, I managed three rounds of rehab in Delhi, Vellore and Chandigarh. It was exhausting, but every session gave me more strength and hope. Two things kept me going—the kindness of strangers in Patna who rallied behind me and the responsibility I felt toward my parents.  While I couldn’t change what happened, I resolved to be independent and reduce their burden.

After my third rehab, I managed to become independent in daily tasks. By then, I had created a virtual community of people with spinal injuries and shared resources and experiences with rehabilitation. There, I met an alumnus of a B-School who suggested I pursue an MBA, saying how India’s prominent B-Schools are disability friendly. After three years of encouragement, I decided to bet on myself.

I started preparing for my B-School exam and a year later, I was admitted to the India Institute of Management in Trichy. For someone who struggled to even sit and eat a few years ago, getting into a leading institution felt surreal.

I finished my MBA in 2022 and landed a job at Cognizant. The past three-and-a-half years have been a smooth ride for me. When I joined, I had my self-doubts and fears, but thanks to the inclusive culture, I feel comfortable. Today, I work as a Functional Consultant – Oracle, helping our clients with their Enterprise Resource Planning needs.

From the beginning, I felt the genuine commitment of our leaders to support people with disabilities. The best part is that they listen and act on suggestions. From accommodation needs to commuting and work-flexibility, they ensured I had everything I needed to succeed. We also have a community of people with disabilities at Cognizant called Unite, where stories like mine are not exceptions, but shared journeys. I still have doubts about my career progression sometimes, but when I look at my leadership, I feel I’m in the right place.

Beyond work, I’m passionate about sustainability and ESG, and love to read, binge-watch shows and try new foods. I also continue to guide people with spinal injuries. Some of the people from these groups have become national-level para-athletes, which gives me immense pride. I believe in giving back, because a lot of people showed up for me when I had lost hope.

If there’s one message I want to share with you, it’s to keep moving ahead. Whether it’s a disability or a career setback, never think it’s the end of your story. Success isn’t about doing the impossible—it's about showing up consistently and bouncing back from setbacks.  If you can do that, you have the potential to shape your story.