Monday, April 16, 2012

Sweet, Brave and Bright


 I have earlier written a post by the title 'Sweet and Brave' which is a tragic story of a small girl, Chandana, lovingly called Sweety by family and friends, who was our neighbor at Mumbai from 1995 to 98. Unfortunately at the tender age of nine or ten, she had lost her right hand in a ghastly accident in the lift of  our residential flats at Mumbai. I had driven her and her father, Mr. Durganand Swami, to the hospital where doctors operated on her but could not join the severed hand to the wrist.

During that hair raising episode, one thing was very pertinent to note. After the initial screaming and crying at her house, the little girl had regained her wits and composure in no time. During the drive to the hospital she kept consoling her parents, who were sobbing silently, that she would learn writing with her left hand and that she would still continue her dancing and other activities. She even spoke to the hospital staff in a manner as if she had suffered only a minor injury.

As i moved to Delhi on transfer in 1998, i lost touch with the family. Therefore i have ended the post by writing that:- 

"I don't know where Sweety is and what is she doing at present but, given the personality traits that she exhibited at the tender age of nine or ten, I am sure she must be doing well and I wish her all the best in her life."

Fortunately, last year i met her father. On inquiring about Sweety, he told me that she is not only happily married but is also doing very well on academic front and is settled with her husband in the USA. In fact after a few years of the accident, they had come in contact with a US based doctor, who was a specialist in artificial limb surgeries etc. They had sought the appointment with the doctor at Mumbai airport who was on a visit to India along with his wife and on meeting Sweety, the doctor couple immediately decided to take her to the US where they kept her at their own expenses and also fixed her hand with the help of artificial limb implant. 

Two days back i received a mail from Sweety's father telling that :-

"tomorrow Sweety will be presented the Cooper award at a special banquet. we are very excited about it. the chairman of the committee for the award sent a message  yesterday that he is also excited because for the first time an Indian student is getting the prestigious one. we will be meeting him tomorrow at the banquet."

Today Sweety's father has sent Sweety's pictures, receiving the coveted award.

See for yourself.

I pray to God that every parent be blessed with offspring like Sweety


Sweety, receiving the award

 Sweet, brave and bright
 Sweety with her father


1 comment:

BK Chowla, said...

Such are the examples set by barave indians.
She has our best wishes.