The World of Limitless Possibilities – Class 9 Solutions
Complete NCERT solutions for “The World of Limitless Possibilities”, including summary, themes, word meanings, textbook answers, vocabulary, grammar and writing tasks.
Chapter Overview
This chapter is an interview with Preethi Srinivasan, a former state‑level cricketer and swimmer who became paralysed due to a spinal‑cord injury. She co‑founded Soulfree, an organisation that helps persons with disabilities. In the interview she emphasises positive thinking, resilience, empathy and the difference between responding and reacting to life’s challenges.
Summary
The narrator interviews Preethi, who recounts her journey from an active athlete to a quadriplegic. A freak accident left her paralysed below the neck, and after initial despair she chose to rebuild her life. She explains how changing one’s response to circumstances can change the quality of one’s life. Preethi stresses that we cannot always control what happens to us but we can control how we react. She speaks about founding Soulfree to provide rehabilitation, counselling and support for people with spinal‑cord injuries. The interview highlights that empathy, faith and service can turn personal tragedy into a mission to help others.
Themes & Message
Important Points
- Accident: Preethi broke her neck in a beach accident and became quadriplegic.
- Initial despair: She felt her life was over but later realised the power of acceptance.
- Soulfree: Organisation she co‑founded to rehabilitate and support those with spinal‑cord injuries.
- Perspective: Her motto is to never ask “Why me?” but “What next?”
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning | Use in Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Quadriplegic | Paralysed in both arms and both legs. | After the accident she became quadriplegic. |
| Resilience | Ability to recover quickly from difficulties. | Her resilience inspired many. |
| Empathy | Ability to share others’ feelings. | Her empathy drove her to help others with spinal injuries. |
| Rehabilitation | Process of recovery through therapy and support. | Rehabilitation programmes at Soulfree focus on both physical and emotional healing. |
| Perspective | The way you think about something. | Changing one’s perspective can change one’s life. |
Reflect & Respond
1. What does Preethi mean by saying that “fate is what happens to you but destiny is what you make of it”?
Answer: Fate refers to events beyond our control, while destiny is shaped by the choices we make in response to those events. Preethi believes that by choosing a positive response and serving others, she created her own destiny rather than letting circumstances define her.
2. Why does she emphasise learning to respond instead of react?
Answer: Reacting is an immediate emotional response that may worsen suffering. Responding means pausing to choose a constructive action, which empowers you and may improve the situation.
Check Your Understanding – Answers
Question 1:
What circumstances led Preethi to found Soulfree?
Answer: After her accident and subsequent paralysis, Preethi realised there was little support for people with spinal injuries in India. She co‑founded Soulfree to provide rehabilitation, counselling, vocational training and advocacy for accessible environments.
Question 2:
How does Preethi define success in life?
Answer: For Preethi, success lies in living with dignity, making a positive difference in others’ lives, and choosing compassion over complaint.
Question 3:
Why does Preethi call herself a “work in progress”?
Answer: She believes personal growth and healing are ongoing. There are days she still struggles, but she continues learning, adapting and serving.
Critical Reflection
This chapter invites readers to examine their own attitudes towards disability, resilience and purpose. It challenges the notion that success is measured by physical achievements. Preethi’s determination to turn her injury into an opportunity for service exemplifies how empathy and hope can transform suffering into meaningful action.
Vocabulary & Grammar
Grammar Activity
Pick five adjectives from the chapter (e.g., resilient, paralysed, compassionate, determined, hopeful). Use each in a sentence of your own. Then convert them into adverbs where possible (e.g., resiliently, compassionately).
Writing Task
Write a diary entry from the point of view of a person who has just learned to cope with a disability, describing how they felt before and after meeting someone like Preethi. Describe what inspires them to move forward.
Extra Questions for Revision
- What support systems are needed for people with disabilities in schools and colleges?
- Describe the main contributions of Soulfree to the disability community.
- What can individuals and governments do to create accessible environments?