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The Dauntless Nari Contractor
with which it is hurled at me. And I shall continue to do so even in future."
Although Nariman Contractor never played a test match after that accident, his very return to the game with courage and confidence would be considered triumph of will over fate!
Philip Derbyshire was born with a rare bone disorder. As time passed, the disease worsened and he had his two feet amputated but Philip was made of sterner stuff and he continued to play, his favourite being water-skiing. He participated in a variety of sports - running, swimming, cycling and even football. Once after skiing across water with the help of an instructor, he decided to ski on his own. The kind of boy that he is, Philip received Child of Achievement Prize, a trophy and a letter of appreciation from the Queen of England and the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
When he was told that his feet would have to be amputated, he asked his mother Carol not to be upset and not to lose heart. After the operation, he looked cheerful, though in great pain. Philip suffered from Bilateral Parazil Fibular Hemilia, which in simple language means that he has no fibula, - the narrow bone on the outer side of the lower leg- in his right leg and just three quarters of one in the other. It is a very rare condition and Philip is one of only four people in Britain that suffers from it. After the operation, he was fitted with artificial feet and which raised his height by two inches. He accepted his fate with a smiling face. He cycles and plays for his football team as a goal-keeper. He took to water skiing and joined the scouts and won an award. His mother Carol is all praise for him. She says, "He is a wonderful boy. He asks me not to feel discouraged in life and not to shed tears. Let not adversity defeat us." What a boy!
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