He is 39-years old and to his credit he has 14 years of experience in giving males a haircut, trimming and shaving their beard. He knows no other way to earn money and support his relatives who depend on his income for a living. He is A.Yesudas who lost both his limbs to polio while he was just three years old, currently stands on his own feet.
“I have four older sisters and one younger brother all my siblings suffer no physical or mental disability. My father who was a post master is no more. My mother is bedridden and my sisters take care of her. A major portion of my income is used to support my relative’s family who lost their sole bread winner and I also make my contribution in running my home.” Yesudas says.
As a child Yesudas always felt that his life could have been better only if he could stand on his own feet, yet today this limbless youth is independent and he is standing on his own feet. He runs a barber shop that measures barely six by seven feet. His shop is located in Periyar Nagar, Coimbatore.
He owes it to P Mahendran, Founder of Eera Nenjam a city-based social service organization working tirelessly for the welfare of abandoned people, especially senior citizens. Once, Yesudas accompanied his relatives to the Corporation Home for abandoned persons that is located in R S Puram. After his relatives family lost their head, who was also their single earning member, his family visited the home to seek admission for Yesudas. It was at that time that Yesudas came across Mahendran.
Friendly conversations turned productive and it was through Mahendran that Yesudas started giving male members a haircut, a beard trim and a clean shave on request. In 2013, when Eera Nenjam celebrated their first anniversary, Yesudas was requested by this social service organization to give the aged and elderly inmates of the Corporation home in R S Puram, for abandoned persons a haircut and he (Yesudas) was paid for his services.
Several years passed and Yesudas expressed to Mahendran his desire to run a salon in the city. Mahendran was happy to learn that Yesudas's intent was not just mere shelter and food but despite disability Yesudas wanted to lead a dignified life by making an earning out of that. Mahendran took up his request and soon funds poured in from various sources and Yesudas Salon opened its doors to the the public in May 2015 in Periyar Nagar in the city.
Today, Yesudas has at least three customers who visit his salon on weekdays and on weekends the salon is filled with customers. Seated on a chair, Yesudas serves his customers to the best of his ability. Yesudas gave about 25 male inmates of Eera Nenjam shelter home a hair-cut and he also trimmed their beard making them look good ahead of the festival of lights. Yesudas also visits people’s home to give the bedridden a haircut and he can also shave or trim their beard on request.
Despite all the disabilities, Yesudas looks future optimistically and wish to lend his hand to the helpless people. His journey reminds and proves the quote 'My ability is stronger than my disability'!