INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
gone by, differently-abled athlete Somnath Malo still fondly remembers the evening he had dinner with former prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, who died on Thursday.Somnath Malo, who hails from Nadia district of West Bengal, was a member of the Indian contingent that won 22
medals - three gold, nine silver and 10 bronze - in the 2002 FESPIC Games in Busan, South Korea
He had won one gold in high jump.Mr Vajpayee had invited the victorious Indian team to dinner at his residence
"He called me to sit beside him
Then, he asked me where did I stay and how my leg got defunct
about 20 days after its return from Busan
The Ministry of Sports had arranged a felicitation ceremony, following which the team members were taken to Mr Vajpayee's residence for
dinner."At that time, I was unable to speak Hindi
Vajpayee ji realised it and was smiling, patting my back
He was such a simple man that I did not feel I was sitting beside the prime minister and talking to him," Mr Malo said, who was all of 20
advised him to practice well and not to hesitate if any help was required.The former prime minister died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi on
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