KACHARAGADLA

An army mans wife, mother of two, a restaurateur with a social cause, a former beauty queen, an accomplished swimmer on the international platform and now a wannabe biker; 38 year-old Deepa Malik wears a multitude of hats and firmly refuses to let any conversation veer to sympathy that her disability often attracts. Malik became a wheelchair user in 1999. Most recently, she became the first paraplegic to participate in the gruelling Tour-de-Himalaya Car Rally.  Allister Mark Syiemlieh  of  D.N.I.S.  caught up with her. D.N.I.S.: You were the first paraplegic woman to join the world of sports in the Indian scenario. Were you apprehensive? How did you go about it? Deepa Malik :  Yes, I was apprehensive! Because being paraplegic requires special attention like living arrangements and wheelchair accessible bathrooms etc. These need to be taken care of before you venture to do something. As for joining the world of sports, it was purely by luck. The Maharashtra Paralympic Sports A