World SCI Day: Ex-TN Cricketer Dr. Preethi Srinivasan’s Story of Courage & Change

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On World Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Day, observed on Friday (September 5), the spotlight turns to stories of courage and transformation-none more inspiring than that of Dr. Preethi Srinivasan.

Once a prodigious cricketer who captained Tamil Nadu to a national U-19 title in 1997, and a medal-winning swimmer, her life changed forever at 18 when a tragic accident left her quadriplegic. What could have been the end of her dreams became the beginning of a remarkable new chapter.

From trauma to treatment, and eventually to triumph, Dr. Preethi has emerged as a beacon of resilience. Today, she is the founder of Soulfree, a Ph.D. scholar at IIT Madras, TEDx speaker, recipient of prestigious awards like the Devi Award and Forbes India "We Serve India" Award (2025), and the first Indian woman with quadriplegia to earn a doctorate from IIT. Her journey, now immortalized in the Tamil Nadu school curriculum, is a testament to the power of rehabilitation, determination, and the human spirit.

At the heart of her transformation lies the support of the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), whose guidance and care laid the foundation for her to rebuild her life. In this exclusive email interaction, Dr. Preethi shares her journey-from the struggles of losing independence to becoming a changemaker who empowers thousands with spinal cord injuries through Soulfree. Here are the excerpts:

Question: How did rehabilitation at ISIC shape your journey from a patient to a professional para-athlete competing at international events like the Paralympics and Asian Para Games?

Ans: I had the opportunity to meet Major HPS Ahluwalia, Founder,Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC). He became a true guiding light in my journey. Through his own example and words of encouragement, he showed me that life after a spinal cord injury was not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter. His guidance helped me seek better treatment and rehabilitation, and inspired me to pursue sports with determination. That initial support laid the foundation for everything I went on to achieve as a para-athlete.

Question: What were the biggest mental and physical challenges you faced during training after your spinal cord injury, and how did you overcome them?

Ans: The toughest phase was losing all independence. I felt utterly helpless and dependent on others for even the most basic needs. At that time in 1998, even a major hospital in Chennai had no knowledge about spinal cord injury or rehabilitation. Later, I went to the Rehab Institute of Chicago, but even there, the focus was only on physiotherapy.

They never addressed the fact that you can't expect progress from a person who has just lost everything. The first step in rehabilitation should be to restore a person's will to live, to make them feel valued, and to help them believe that they can still learn the skills required to live a life of dignity and purpose. That part was missing in my rehabilitation.

Question: How critical was ISIC's rehabilitation program in restoring your independence and preparing you for life after injury?

Ans: Rehabilitation is the only way to restore dignity and independence to the life of a person with a spinal cord injury. Both the individual and their family ges devastated by this life-altering condition, which has been called the most debilitating condition in the world. Without rehabilitation, even keeping people alive becomes difficult. It is absolutely essential and should be included in insurance schemes so that people can actually afford it.

Question: Can you share specific facilities, training methods, or therapies at ISIC that made the biggest difference in your recovery journey?

Ans: Delhi is very far, and as a quadriplegic, I cannot travel easily. I have visited the center twice. The first time, I met Major Aluwalia, who is a role model for anyone with a spinal cord injury. He was very supportive of my journey, and that gave me a great source of inspiration.

Question: Beyond medals and achievements, what message do you want to give to young Indians living with spinal cord injuries who may feel their lives have ended?

Ans: My message to them is simple: don't give up. Life is not over. You can relearn and re-engineer yourself to become optimally self-reliant-physiologically, psychologically, and socio-economically. It won't be easy, but it is possible. Our motto is that life is not about the things you cannot do, but about what you choose to do with what you can do.

Question: How do you see your role-as a sportsperson, entrepreneur, or changemaker-in building awareness about the importance of advanced rehabilitation and inclusion in society?

Ans: In 2013, I founded a public charitable trust called Soulfree to support people with spinal cord injury. We aim to improve their quality of life by providing opportunities in rehabilitation, education, employment, entrepreneurship, sports, and social reintegration. We also established India's first integrated spinal rehabilitation center-the Soulfree INSPIRE Center. It is a 20,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art facility with 50 beds, offering free care, vocational rehabilitation, and training in areas like computers and tailoring. Our goal is to help people become financially independent and live with dignity.

Question: Looking back at your life before and after the injury, what would you say is the single most important factor that kept you going in the toughest moments?

Ans: After my accident, I lost my very sense of identity and did not want to live anymore. But when I started Soulfree and gained visibility as a disability rights advocate, it became a turning point. Media support forced institutions to address discrimination I faced in education, and that visibility gave me the strength to continue. Today, I am proud to be the first woman with quadriplegia in India to complete a PhD from IIT Madras. It shows that with equitable opportunities-not pity or sympathy-anything is possible.

Question: You're a TEDx speaker, an award winner, and your story is even part of a school curriculum - what impact do you hope your journey leaves on the next generation? As the founder of Soulfree, how are you working to empower people with SCI, especially women, to live with dignity and independence?

Ans: At Soulfree, we support more than 3,000 people with spinal cord injuries, especially women who face stigma and are often ostracised. Many have even been forced to commit suicide by their families. That is why I started this organisation.

Through our INSPIRE Center, we provide free rehabilitation, vocational training, and a safe space where people can transform their lives from being dependent to becoming self-reliant. Our mission is to restore dignity and empower them to live with purpose and independence.