I usually acknowledge August 13, International Lefthanders Day, with a blog about and for left-handers. This year I was asked to participate in a virtual Q and A session with members of the Association of Left-handers India to celebrate the August 13 occasion. India has active organizations promoting the accomplishments and the rights of left-handers. The title of this blog, #RightForLefty, is a movement sponsored by the Indian Lefthanders Club (ILC). Go to their website, ILC ,or their Facebook page, ILC on Facebook, to learn about their many activities including the establishment of a Left-handers Museum in the city of Goa. My Q and A session with members of the Association of Left-handers India (ALI) is on their Facebook page, ALI on Facebook.

Our August 13 conversation was wide-ranging and covered topics from the genetics of handedness to the left-hander advantage in interactive sports. The members of the group had particular concerns about the practice in India of punishing children for left-hand use in certain religious rituals as well as when writing and eating. It seems many members of the organization are haunted by the forced use of their right hand well into their adult years. We talked about the idea of reclaiming one’s left-handedness as an adult. People often think there is something wrong or dangerous about trying to acquire skill with both hands. If you are a converted left-hander and think your life would be improved by starting to use your left hand again, begin your left-handed practice. Over time, your left-handed skill and dexterity will increase. Recent research indicates that even cursive writing, the most difficult skill to master with a non-practiced hand, improves with enough repetitive use. Right-handed elite athletes have become skilled left-handed players. Among the most notable of these is the tennis star, Rafael Nadal, and the professional golfer, Phil Mickelson. Individuals, who permanently injure their right hands/arms are forced to adopt left-handedness, and most do so successfully. The key is practice and determination to succeed.

Many thanks to the left-handers of India for inviting me to celebrate International Left-handers Day with them. There are 10,000,000 left-handers in India and their national organizations are representing them well.