Hearing impaired IIT engineer excels against all odds

New Delhi: A majority of people with physical disability feel dejected and lose hopes but there are some who refuse to buckle and conquer all odds to set an example for others. BHEL engineer Ajay Kumar Kochiri is a shining example of how a person can overcome treacherous terrains of destiny and come across as a champion with the help of rock-like determination and indomitable will. Giving hope to millions of disabled people across the world, Ajay Kumar Kochiri, a Senior Engineer working with BHEL, successfully crossed all speed-breakers in life to win ‘Best Employee of the Year, 2015' award under the ‘National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities' program. Apart from functional and social impact, disabling hearing loss also has a significant economic impact on countries due to unemployability of the hearing impaired people. Maker of Hybrid electro-acoustic implant Cochlear said, “Kochiri was fitted with bilateral Cochlear implants in April 2014 and since then has managed to overcome most of the challenges associated with his hearing disability.” After struggling with hearing aids for over a decade, Kochiri was implanted with bilateral acoustic implants in Hyderabad by senior ENT Surgeon Dr. Janardhan Jagini.