CHENNAI, OCT 2: He is handicapped. But that is no handicap to create a world record. P L Valliappan, 28, has plans to create a world record - to build a champagne fountain 30 feet high with 13,000 champagne saucers. He hopes that he will not only figure in the Limca Book of Records but may well earn an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.If and when he does so, he will be the first Indian to earn a mention in the category, but more importantly, the first physically disabled person, or ``physically challenged person'' - as he describes himself, to do so. This under graduate student in Economics of the Loyola College says he is on a mission to establish that with determined effort the physically handicapped can achieve as much as others.
On what led him to choose this particular category, Valliappan says that building a champagne fountain requires immense patience, skill and stamina. The process will involve skillfully placing the fragile saucers one over the other, five storey high, and filling upthe saucers by pouring champagne on to the top most saucer only. The filling up of the saucers alone will take one day and the building of the fountain about four days.
Running around for sponsorships to meet the expenses of 20 lakh rupees (the saucers have to be imported from Thailand), Valliappan has already found three -- Chettinad Cements, TI Cycles and Bank of Madura. However, he is looking out for more as he has another feat up his sleeve. He will also attempt a vertical assembly of 50 champagne glasses -- one inside the other!
Valliappan plans, if everything goes well, to auction the glassware and float a trust to help the less privileged realise their dreams of higher education.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.