"before you,like a lantern whose walls are worn so thin you glimpse only the light inside,is the incandescence of a man."

Meaning of this sentence

Firdaus Kanga here expresses his thoughts on seeing a man who has achieved great heights in spite of being physically disabled. He looks at Stephen Hawking and thinks that a man, whose body, functions in a limited manner and does not work like that of others, has an indomitable spirit which can light up anyone's heart with confidence. He compares Hawking to a lantern which has thin walls on the outside but strong light inside.