Siblings fought odds to be swimming champs

HUBLI: Here is a story of two mentally challenged siblings who rose to the level of national champions, bringing glory to their parents. This is also the story of a couple who had the guts to look at life in its eyes and bring up their disabled children in a special way.
Prashantkumar Janumala and Ratnamma were crestfallen when their daughter Salomi and son Rajkiran showed signs of mental retardation when they were just two.The parents thought it was God's way of punishing them for marrying within the family.
But things changed for the couple within a few years. Rajkiran and Salomi, now aged 20 and 21, are national-level swimming champions. Both have won medals in Special Olympics and at all national-level swimming contests since 2003. Rajkiran has also won gold and bronze medals at the Special International Olympics held in Shanghai in 2003.
For Prashantkumar, a technician at SWR railway workshop, his children are no less than celebrities. "We felt very bad for them in the beginning. But things started changing for the better slowly as we came across a swimming coach who offered to train our children for free, saying it would help cure their disability," he said. The Janumalas are also inspirational for the parents of other special children. "Special children can achieve great things if provided proper opportunities," he said.
Both Salomi and Rajkiran are busy throughout the year, practising for one or the other contest in different corners of the country. They also attend classes at a school for exceptional children.
Apart from swimming, Rajkiran is also good at roller skating, running, shot-put, throwball and horse riding. Now he is planning to contest in all the events.