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From Pain to Purpose: Embracing life after losing an arm

Posted by Rohini Sahni, 8 months ago

3 min read

Meet Ranjeet, a Software Engineer working with NatWest Group Digital X, India for the past 17 years. Ranjeet’s story is one of resilience, perseverance and self-belief with many a lesson for all of us! We spoke to Ranjeet about his career and how he’s succeeded throughout his career at NatWest, and how he’s not let hardship stand in his way.

Indomitable spirit shining through the scars

Adversity struck a six-year-old Ranjeet, who was happily playing with his friends one moment, and in the next he finds his left hand stuck in the lift, and before he knows it, he’s in excruciating pain. Resilience, presence of mind, or it may have been the courage embedded through his army lineage that made the six-year-old walk up the stairs from the third floor to the sixth with half his left arm gone. ‘God only gave me the power to reach my home and ring the bell before I fainted at the door due to extreme blood loss,’ says Ranjeet.

‘My entire world, my life changed in that moment,’ ruminates Ranjeet as doctors had no choice but to amputate his left arm. Back in those days, there was little access to advanced technologies like a robotic arm or hand, and he had to wear a heavy hand that fatigued him, both mentally and physically. As time passed and light weight prosthetic hands were developed, it restored his sense of normalcy and today he’s able to manage almost everything by himself and feels absolutely at peace seeking support from family and friends if he needs to.

Rising to the challenge and how

Ranjeet graduated in Computer Science, and the young boy picking up the mantle wanted to support his family. He reflects proudly, ‘I had three offer letters with great companies, including NatWest’.

‘The last round of the interview with NatWest was a typing test and I felt that I wouldn’t be able to operate the keyboard but much to my disbelief, I did well and manged to get the job,’ says Ranjeet, his pride evident even after 17 years in the organisation.

Ranjeet was assigned to Preferred Banking and remembers with pride, ‘I had to prove myself in a customer facing role, handling the keyboard, preparing drafts and cheques for customers at the same time, including preparing 40 to 50 cheques on the same call with no room for errors.’ His face breaks into a reminiscent smile saying, ‘I enjoyed it, the challenge, the pace, the learning, looking for more, hungry for more.’

The world is my oyster

From Preferred Banking to becoming a Software Developer, his journey of 17 years with NatWest Group spans different roles. Seeing his zeal and passion for innovation, his managers quickly recognised his ability and engaged him with upskilling opportunities. ‘My managers supported me as they saw potential, and provided an environment where I could innovate with confidence,’ he recounts.

He was later selected for the reskilling program, and because of his automation background and innovative mindset he was advised to become a developer. ‘That’s when I felt a spark, and learnt a lot of new things,’ says he as he recounts how he moved towards software development.

‘I love the supportive environment at NatWest, I feel valued, and enjoy a sense of achievement and belonging,’ says Ranjeet passionately. He opines, ‘Most organisations try to find a role that fits specially abled people like me. What makes NatWest different is that it valued whatever skills I brought to the table and continues to value and support my ideas, my mind and my effort.’

Adapting to the requirements of the roles he performed, he remembers, ‘I deeply understood and accepted all challenges, moulded myself, and continued learning with an open mindset.’

Neither lost nor forgotten

Ranjeet says that even though he went through extreme times, he kept his positivity intact, but understands that not everyone can easily do that. ‘When a functional body part is missing, anyone will feel the loss, and nothing can make up for it, even technology cannot help. I’ve always tried to defeat that thinking by applying another approach or extra effort to make up for the loss of my arm.’

He concludes by saying, ‘I may not be able to achieve 100 percent, even if I achieve 50 percent, I have made it, and carved a path for others like me. My story should be told, if a person like me can achieve things in life, then why can’t you, and this message is for everyone, even the able bodied!’

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