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Manoj Khaire (42), and Satyaprakash Tiwari (42), will pay homage to the Mumbai terror victims; ace swimmer Vinod Ghadge had drowned while swimming for the same cause

Thousands of Mumbaikars will be up on their feet and running at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on January 18. But for Manoj Khaire (42), a paraplegic PCO stall owner in Worli, the event assumes special importance because it presents him an opportunity to pay tribute to one of his deceased friends.



Ace swimmer Vinod Ghadge (50), had invited Manoj to take part in an event to pay tribute to the 26/11 terror attack victims. But Manoj turned him down due to prior commitments. "Vinod called me and asked me to pay tribute to the 26/11 martyrs by swimming from Dharamtar in Raigad to Gateway of India.

I turned him down because I had to attend the Asian Paralympic Committee Games in Bangalore. I was shocked to learn that he drowned during the event," said an emotional Manoj. Vinod and Manoj had trained together at a swimming pool in Worli.

Unfinished agenda

Manoj wants to complete his friend's unfinished agenda and will run the marathon with partner Satyaprakash Tiwari (42), a bilateral amputee, for the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks and for the Mumbai police in particular. The duo has participated in the marathon for the last five years.

"We would like to believe that we can inspire people. After I lost my legs at the age of 16, nobody, including my family, thought I could have an able future. However, I've proved them wrong and successfully run a general store with my father in Ghatkopar," explained Satyaprakash.

Manoj and Satyaprakash, who have won national and international medals, feel opportunities for the disabled are few, but opening up in India. "We've only started getting some headway in the past few years. The marathon has been a great platform. However, we still have a very long way to go," added Satyaprakash.

Vinod's demise
Maharashtra swimming champion Vinod Ghadge died on December 30 while he was swimming in the Arabian Sea to pay homage to the victims of the November 26 terror attacks. He got entangled in the fishing nets around 10 nautical miles from the Gateway of India and died. Vinod, an employee of the state government's sales tax department, had been chosen for the Shiv Chhatrapati Award the highest sports award of the state.