Bio: Varun Khullar holds a Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Trade and International Practices. A traveler by passion, he loves to explore new places. His taste bud can savor all kinds of spices and flavors. Varun calls himself a big-time foodie. Music is his all-time love. His favorite genres are Deep House, Tech House, and Techno. Catch the 'DJ' play some new age grooves every Friday and Saturday night at Kitty Su, Delhi.
Sitting in a wheelchair today, sharing the turn of events, Varun reminiscence about the unfortunate accident he was in on Saturday, June 7th, 2014. He is still wondering how to be thankful enough to God for seeing him through the worst time of his life.
He was offered to join an internship at CNBC on June 7th. He refused to join before Tuesday. He had some other plans. He decided to go on a trip to Manali with his friends instead. Least did he know he was about to land in a wheelchair!
It was pleasant weather and the boys were thrilled to be driving in the mountains. The lush green trees all around boasted of nature’s beauty.
They had entered Old Manali and were headed towards their hotel when the fateful crash took place. Soon Varun was senseless. He did not remember anything that happened hence after. His last thoughts before felling unconscious raced back to his family and his loved ones.
He woke up in a hospital in Manali. His condition was very critical. Due to a lack of proper medical equipment, it was not possible to operate him in the local hospital in Manali. On doctor's advice and with his family’s approval his friends left for Delhi with him. They had to drive back as the air service was not available because of bad weather conditions.
Varun could not feel his body it was numb!
Immediately after reaching Delhi, he was admitted to ISIC, Vasant Kunj. He was operated and his treatment began. He was shifted to the room after three days. He could feel sensation only in his upper body. Everything did not seem right. His family members were in the room, staring at him with tears in their eyes. They were glad that his life was saved.
He still had no clue about his condition until the doctor came to check his recovery reports. It was then that the doctor broke the disheartening news to Varun that he won’t be able to walk ever again. For a fraction of a second, he felt it was some kind of a prank. He soon realized he could not move his lower body. He failed every attempt to move his legs. He learned that his spinal cord had injured in the accident, paralyzing his lower body.
Looking at his mother’s teary eyes saddened him. He decided to hold on to his front strongly.
The next three months in the hospital were followed with dedicated physiotherapy sessions. He would sit with his headphones on listening to music throughout his physio treatment. He realized his life would not be the same as before. And the only person who could make a difference was ‘He, himself’. The BIG question was ‘How’!
One thing that gave him hope in this darkest moment in his life was ‘music’. He yearned to be a DJ and wanted to pursue his career as a DJ. With nothing else to lose, he began his quest of the self. Returning home from the hospital after three months, the first thing he did was to order ‘Producing Music with Abelton Live by Jake Perrine’.
The next two years rolled by and he got himself busy learning to produce music. He still continued with physiotherapy treatment. It’s a slow process but with time the results also showed some improvement. He learned to drive again. Sympathy and dependency depressed him. He realized there was more to his being than to be pitied or judged for his physical condition.
His next step was to enroll himself in a DJ Academy for professional lessons. Several academies refused to teach a student in a wheelchair. As the saying goes, ‘When one door shuts, a window opens’. ILM, the Music Academy in Gurugram enrolled him for the DJing course. They made every possible arrangement from putting an artificial ramp and an outside class console for their student in a wheelchair. No! They did not treat him differently but they sure did things easier for him to have access to knowledge he sought after.
Varun extends a heartfelt Thanks to the Team at ILM for making it possible for him to attend regular classes.
The major step was now! He was ready for a job. Again the question arose ‘How’ and who would hire a DJ in a wheelchair!
Fighting disappointment of rejection for the next few months, he was on the verge of giving up when he received a call from Kitty Su, one of the finest nightclubs in Delhi. They admired his work and to them, his wheelchair did not seem to be a hurdle in his career as a DJ.
At last, he was in the right place among the right people to whom the only thing that bothered was the ‘disability of mind’ not of the body.
Presently Varun is working at Kitty Su, Delhi as a Resident DJ. If you ever want to see the charisma of the DJ in the wheelchair dancing people to his tunes, wear your dancing shoes and join the party!
Acknowledgments by Varun: My Heartfelt Gratitude to my family and loved ones who stood by me and believed in me. A Big Thanks to the Team ILM and Mr. Keshav Suri and Team Kitty Su for believing in my music and my caliber. A Special Thanks to my fellow DJ's - Dj Mash Mendiratta, DJ Irvin Khurana, and Dj Sandy Thakur who pumped me to push my limits.
A Ray of Hope: Always be grateful for what life offers. Never Give Up even if the time is not good and promising. You may find 100 hands to pull you down. Look beyond despair. There will always be one hand to lift you up. Grab it and Live to be Just Being You!