Nimai Mondal on his computer. Picture by Gour Sharma

Asansol, Oct. 5: Nimai Chandra Mondal can type 45 words a minute and at least 15 letters a day on his computer at his office in the Asansol divisional railway headquarters. He plays caroms and chess during breaks.

Nimai, however, is different. He was born without arms.

The 31-year-old peon, adjudged the “best performer” from the Asansol railway division and Eastern Railway for two consecutive years, types with his toes.

Nimai graduated with honours in political science in 1998, writing his exams with the pen held between the big toe and second toe of his right foot. He also did a computer course from a private institute in Dhanbad and learnt to use the keyboard with his toes.

Nimai then started looking for a job “to avoid being a burden” on his maternal uncle, who brought him up.

He got the railway job in 2001 under the quota for the physically challenged and was posted in Bihar’s Jamalpur division, where he worked till 2004, delivering official letters in a jute bag slung on his shoulders.

When Nimai was transferred to the personnel department of the Asansol division, his writing skills were put to use — he had to take notes from the divisional personnel officer, type them on a computer and send them to various departments. He now earns around Rs 6,000 a month.

Senior divisional personnel officer Sujit Mishra said despite being a peon, Nimai was asked to work in the computer section, the clerks’ domain, because he was “honest, punctual and sincere”.

“He is a hard worker and is always smiling…. I am also astonished to see how fast he operates the computer and types letters with his toes.”

But Nimai admits that there were times when the smile would be replaced by a frown. “Initially, I felt depressed seeing my siblings and other children use their hands. But I became inspired after learning about Masudur Rahaman, who crossed the English Channel despite having lost both legs,” he said.

Nimai lost his mother when he was 11 and his father, a coal miner in Jharkhand’s Chasnala, took him and his siblings — two younger brothers and a sister — to live with their maternal uncle in Dhanbad.

Nimai’s next mission is to find a groom for sister Santana, 20. “My father is about to retire and I am the eldest son. So I need to find a good match for my sister and guide my brothers. Once my sister gets married, I can think of a partner for myself.”