The Peacemaker Travelling by the West Coast Express to Mangalore two years ago, Berth No.

55, not far from me, was occupied by a middle-aged gentleman. When the train reached Palakkad Junction around 9pm, a large group of pilgrims entered amid much commotion. Just then another middle-aged man from among the pilgrims started claiming Berth 55. He even had a paper given by his travel agent to bolster his claim. The ticket examiner arrived and told the second man that it was not his berth. No, said both men. Its mine. A constable from the Railway Protection Force tried to get the second man to leave. But he wouldnt give inand he had the support of his many pilgrim friends. High-pitched arguments continued, even long after the train left Palakkad. Then someone even pulled the emergency chain as we were leaving Tirur station, four stops after Palakkad. Nobody could sleep and it was getting late. Suddenly, around midnight, I watched as a teenager, a student I am sure, clambered down from an upper berth close to me. Please take my berth, he told the second man, who accepted it after a bit of hesitation. To my great surprise, the student then spread a newspaper on the floor and was soon lost in deep, peaceful sleep. By now everybody was quiet, as if nothing had happened! Im a 58-year-old biology teacher who has handled two generations of students. I was convinced once again that, contrary to popular opinion, young people can often be far, far nobler than many older ones. Francis Xavier, Yercaud, TN Nick of Time I had only finished school when my father died suddenly. It was October 1962, and college was now out of the question. So I found myself in a clerical job, even a decade later. In 1971, my employer, a private company, announced that only graduates would get promotions to officer cadre. By then, married and with two children, my job seemed at a dead-endunless I studied further. And to graduate, I had first to pass the higher secondary examination. I filled out the admissions form, placed it in the front basket of my Vespa scooter and rode to the CBSE correspondence course office on Alipur Road, New Delhi. On reaching there, I was shockedI could not find the form. It was the last day for submissions, and no blank forms were available at the office. I was standing there, disappointed and confused when an elderly gentleman asked me why I looked so troubled. I told him what happened, adding, Now Ill have to wait another year. Well, he said, if you are really so serious about studying further, come with me. I have a spare blank form at home. It was 12:30pm. The counter would close at 2 oclock. His home was 10 kilometres away and I had a slight fear of going somewhere alone with a stranger.

Anyway, there was a bleak chance. He sat pillion and I rode as fast as I could through the traffic and the heat. On reaching his house, he offered me water, advised me to remain calm, and gave me a pen and the form. Fill it here itself, he told me. When it was done, he told me to rush back and to drive carefully. I reached the office at about 1:58pm. There were already three people in line, forms in hand, waiting their turn. Just then, the counter official announced that no more forms would be accepted after mine. I heaved a sigh of relief. I passed my HSC exams and, later, got a BA degree from the University of Delhi in 1975. I also got the promotions I yearned for and retired as a senior assistant manager in 1997. I owe it all to timely help from a true gentleman whose name I forgot to ask. Govind S. Bhatnagar, Pune Angel at the Check-In While in Germany on a fortnights job training seven years ago, I had a weekend off and decided to visit Lourdes in France. I had to change two flights and take a short train journey to get to that famous shrine. The onward journey was pleasant and the time I got to spend at Lourdes was a soul-stirring experience. On my way back, I missed my train at Lourdes and had to wait long for the next one. Reaching Toulouse airport, I was in for more trouble. My flight, the last one that day, had left. I had tears in my eyes, feeling helpless in a foreign land. I didnt even have enough money with me to spend the night in a hotel. Just then the French lady at the airline check-in counter looked at me. Please wait, she said. I wondered why, and simply waited, not knowing what else to do while she did her work. Minutes later, she finished and looked up. Come home with me, she said. Airline check-in staffers are usually so detached and businesslikethey hardly talk, except when you have excess baggage. I was dumbfounded. Thank you, I said and learnt that her name was Jeanne-Marie and that she worked for an agent, MAP Handling. She drove me straight to her house, where we had supper with her two children. She then offered me a comfortable bed and went to finish some work. The next morning Jeanne-Marie woke me up and drove me back to the airport. Along the way, I continued to thank her and offered to send her a cheque after I got back home. Please stop thanking me, Marie said. I am sure this will come around and God will send angels to take care of my children when they need Him. Jeanne-Marie checked me in on the first flight back. All I could do was pray for her and send her a warm thank you message.

Srivyal's Inspiration
Why would this US-educated Indian return home and give up his comfortable job to be among kids he need never have worried about? Share it Text Size: AA AA | Print it | Email it

Srivyal (in a striped T-shirt) with Sphoorti's children. Photo: Sphoorti For Srivyal, its all about providing good schooling for those who otherwise wouldnt have seen anything like it.

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Kindness of Strangers The Growing Impact of IIMPACT

If you were to meet 12-year-old Hyderabad schoolgirl G. Sucharita, you wouldnt gauge the pain she endured as a small child. Her alcoholic father used to thrash Sucharita and her mother, who finally took her own life. After that the father abandoned Sucharita, her brother Shivshankar and sister Madhuri. Yet, six years on, Sucharita is a delightful, bubbly tween. She even goes to an English-medium school, loves to sing and plays kho-kho. She owes all this to a young man named Srivyal Vuyyuri. In 2005, after Sucharitas father went away, her maternal grandmother took the three siblings in. It was a strain on the elderly woman who sold flowers for a living, until someone told her about Srivyal and his NGO called Sphoorti. Hed just set it up in an old rented house near Cherlapally, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, to take care of forsaken children like Sucharita. Today, with new quarters, Sphoorti [a Sanskrit word that means inspiration] houses and educates 108 children, and you can safely assume that most of them have stories as heartrending as Sucharitas. For 33-year-old Srivyal Vuyyuri, the inspiration to set up Sphoorti came about a decade ago, while he was studying for his masters degree in economics at the University of Ohio, USA. He

was amazed by the kind of schooling American children got. It didnt matter whether their fathers were cab drivers or businessmen, he says, all the kids went to good schools, in stark contrast to India, where only the better off can afford something as basic as good schooling. Back in Hyderabad, Srivyal began working as a research scholar with the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI). One day in 2005, he got chatting with G. Ashok, the driver of an autorickshaw he was in. Ashok told him that his two small children had been thrown out of an English-medium school because he could no longer afford the increased fees. Ashok was now thinking of moving them to a government school. The poor man was devastated, recalls Srivyal, and so was I. With three young friends, all ICFAI colleagues, he decided to sponsor the childrens education and help put them back in the English-medium school. Many private schools can be very rude to kids whose parents default on fees, Srivyal says, when its such people who really need help. Srivyal and his three friends, Anand Agrawal, Sunil Bhardwaj and Badshah Mukherjee, all very young men at the time, felt they had to do much more. They thought of starting a good English-medium school of their own for underprivileged childrenan idea they soon abandoned after realizing they had neither the experience nor the funds. Yet something had to be done. Why not start a home for kids with no parents? suggested Srivyal. We could educate them as well. Thats how Sphoorti began. Srivyal gave up his comfortable job with ICFAI and the four friends became Sphoortis trustees. Sucharita and her two younger siblings were the first children they took in. The first couple of years were challenging. Srivyal got more friends to donate and get things moving. But it was not easy. People were unsure of our intentions and reluctant to send their wards to us. Even my parents were worried about my ability to take charge of children, recalls Srivyal. But as more children trickled in and their numbers grew to about 40 by 2008, The Hindu featured us, and it made a difference. As word spread, people were stepping in like angels. By 2009, the JJ Metta Memorial Foundation, a US-registered charity, started to help with some of the fundraising. There are also a few private sponsors. Today, all the 108 children are bussed to Sai Model High School, a private English medium establishment. Sphoorti takes care of their fees, stay, food and other needs. About 35 percent of the children have no parents while the rest have either one parent or both, but are unable to afford a good education for their child. Nine staff, including Srivyal, look after the children. For Srivyal, who never refers to the home as an orphanage, nor to any of the kids as orphans (I prefer childrens home and children), its all about providing good schooling for those who otherwise wouldnt have seen anything like it. The education of our children is of utmost importance. We have a program to develop their reading and comprehending abilities, and three tutors come in every evening to help the children with schoolwork, says Srivyal, who makes it a point to meet Sai Model Highs teachers regularly and track the progress of all the kids. And what happens to Sphoortis children after they finish school? We want to take care of them until they finish their education, including college, says Srivyal.

Srivyal, whom the kids address as Mamayyia [maternal uncle], hopes to introduce Sphoortis eight oldest children, all in their eighth standard, to the Cambridge International curriculum in the coming academic year so that theyll take the 10th standard International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), an examination that is usually available only to children of elite schools. We have experienced teachers coming in to help make it easier for these children to transfer to the IGCSE stream, says Srivyal, who is getting support for this plan from Generic Indian Kid, another US-registered non-profit for Indian children, which is setting up a school in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, theres also a mentoring program where older children teach younger ones, even taking tests and correcting papers. Sphoorti has a 1000-book library, recreation rooms and computer facilities. The children also get regular medical check-ups. We can never substitute for their parents, Srivyal says, but for our kids, we try to be substitute parents in whatever way possible. In between all his work, Srivyal got married in February 2007, putting his parents fears to rest. Wife Venkateswari, although not on the paid staff, spends much of her time looking after Sphoortis girls, hoping to groom them into fine young ladies. The couple has a two-year-old son, Aditya, who Srivyal hopes will grow up with Sphoortis children and get the same schooling. Meanwhile, Sphoorti has been expanding. In September 2009, its 48 girls moved from the old rented place to a just-finished two-storey, 5000-square-foot quarters built with money from donors on leased land. And the Andhra government has given them three acres, where Srivyal plans to build a boarding school for underprivileged children. The JJ Metta Memorial Foundation will fund it. For the four friends who founded Sphoorti, that is a once abandoned dream coming true! It will be a first-rate boarding school, says Srivyal, and I can see a lot of poor children getting the kind of education now available only to the privileged few. Just like hed seen in America. But why would any US-educated Indian return home, give up his corporate job and a life of luxury and comfort to be among children he need never have worried about? Srivyal answers that question with another question. What is your idea of luxury? he asks. I find this job very comforting. Ive seen the corporate and academic worlds. My heart was not there. You should follow what you are passionate about.

Theres a Girl by the Tracks!

Nobody dared to go where this youngster did...

By Deven Kanal Share it Text Size: AA AA | Print it | Email it

Baleshwar at the spot where he found Roma. Photo: Paddy As the Mumbai suburban electric train made its 20-second, 6:32pm halt at a station, commuters swarmed out and into its 12 packed coaches. Its a regular scene in and around Indias most populated metropolis. Having just managed to squeeze herself into a ladies compartment, 21year-old call centre executive Roma Talreja tried to settle into a corner near the door. The train hurtled ahead and Roma, jammed between other women, was trying to find some space to stand safely on when she suddenly got pushed, lost her tenuous foothold and panicked. Her hands reached for the steel railing above, but finding only air, Roma was thrown out of the coach. The clattering roar of the train muffled the thud of her fall on to the ground more than a metre below. She was knocked senseless. Standing near the door of another train speeding in the opposite direction, 20-year-old Baleshwar Mishra couldnt believe what he had just seena young woman in a black salwar-kameez lying next to the tracks. Meanwhile, gasps and screams emanated from his compartment. Theres a girl by the tracks! the voices cried out. Impulsively, Baleshwar went and grabbed the trains red emergency chain and pulled it down frantically. The train screeched, slowing down. He then surveyed the compartment full of wary faces. Lets go and help her! he shouted. But nobody volunteered, afraid of getting involved, of being inconvenienced perhaps. His heart hammering his chest, Baleshwar shoved himself to the door, and jumped off the stillmoving train. As he landed on the ground, a burst of pain shot up in his ankle. But there was no

real damage. He got up to find part of his old rubber slippers sole torn off as a result of his fall. But Baleshwar started to sprint back between the tracks as his train picked up speed again and disappeared. Baleshwar was so far away from Roma, he couldnt see her. I hope Im not too late, he thought, gasping for breath. After running for several minutes, he found her sprawled by the side of the tracks. Behenji, aap theek hai? he asked [Sister, are you okay?]. But there was no response, and no help in sightthey were alone somewhere between two stations five kilometres apart in Thane district, which borders Mumbai. Baleshwar could see blood flowing out of a gash behind the young womans head. Saying a silent prayer, he lifted the five-foot-two, 50-kilo Roma gingerly and made his away across the tracks, looking out for trains and searching for a way out. He crossed through some shrubbery, and followed the direction of the sounds until he found the road. My sister is injured, he implored motorists who drove by. Please help me take her to a hospital. But no one stopped. That morning on December 10, 2010, a Friday, Roma Talreja arrived at the call centre bright and early. The BCom graduate had been working there for two years, loving her job talking and connecting to customers, and making new friends there. After work she went to the cafeteria, where she and her friends joked, laughed and made plans for the weekend. Then, heading home alone after her shift, Roma was looking forward to having supper with her parents and brother, and a long phone chat with her fianc Vijay. Baleshwar Mishra has a very different story. The lanky youngster from Mirzapur, UP, is an unemployed high-school dropout whod recently come to Mumbai. Living with his two older brothers, his job hunt had proved fruitless. Now he was treading water, and had esigned himself to the fact that he was running out of options. He had spent his day with a friend, grabbed lunch and watched a movie. As Baleshwar boarded the train home, he pondered his future. But, all he could now think of was saving a strangers life. Innumerable motorists drove by, some even slowing down to see the young man struggling to hold the blood-covered woman in his arms. Just when he had begun to lose hope, a tempo-truck pulled over and its driver, a middle-aged man who spoke Gujarati, stepped out. Help me, Baleshwar pleaded, and the man helped Baleshwar lay Roma down in the back of his truck. Baleshwar was quickly telling the driver what had happened when a traffic policeman arrived. Take the girl to Airoli, suggested the cop, theres a hospital there. But Baleshwar disagreed. Airoli was at least 10 kilometres away. Theres a closer place I know of, said Baleshwar. Ten minutes later, they arrived at a small hospital where nurses helped take the young woman in. But as the facility lacked personnel and equipment, the on-duty physician wasnt able to do more than give basic first aid. He advised that she be moved to a nearby hospital. Baleshwar and the driver had no choice but to move her back into the truck. When the vehicle lurched forward, Roma stirred and her eyes fluttered open. Whats your name? asked Baleshwar, who was with her in the back of the truck. Roma, she managed to grind out. Whom can I call? he asked quickly, fearing that she would black out once more.

My brother Dinesh, she said, slowly giving him Dineshs cellphone number. Baleshwar memorized it and watched as Romas eyes soon lost focus and rolled back into the darkness. Chacha, can I borrow your mobile? Baleshwar asked, and the driver passed him his phone. Dinesh Talreja was wrapping up his day at his marketing job at a retail outlet in Ulhasnagar when his phone rang from a number he didnt recognize. Dineshbhai? a young voice asked. Your sister Roma has fallen off a train and were taking her to Divine Hospital in Ghansoli. Im on my way, said Dinesh, rushing towards his motorcycle. Roma arrived at Divine Multi-speciality Hospital & Research Centre minutes later. Dr Anil Agarwal, the medical director there, seeing the extent of Romas injuries, admitted her immediately to the ICU without any paperwork. He asked Baleshwar to hang around until Romas family arrived. Thats when they noticed that the driver, having done all he could, had slipped away with his truck. Oh, I couldnt thank him! Baleshwar thought. Roma was still unconscious. But her X-rays showed that although the injuries looked severe, all she needed were deep wound sutures. There would be no lasting damage, but Dr Agarwal believes she could have bled to death had nobody helped her. When she finally opened her eyes that night, her brother and fianc were by her side. She could barely speak, just nodded and fell asleep again. When Baleshwar came to meet her the next morning, Roma was still partly sedated. On his way, Baleshwar had even revisited the spot where Roma had fallen, looking for her belongings because Dinesh had told him that her cellphone and handbag were missing. Not far from the spot, a railway employee assured Baleshwar that some of Romas belongings had been found. How are you feeling? Baleshwar asked Roma. Im okay, Roma whispered. In a few days Roma would make a full recovery. I cant imagine what would have happened if Baleshwar hadnt been there, she says, amazed to learn of the manner in which she had been rescued. I think its astonishing that a stranger would jump off a train and risk his life for me. I can never repay Baleshwar. Im new to Mumbai, but Ive noticed that people here are afraid, says Baleshwar, who is still looking for a job. They fear getting trapped in the courts or with the police. So why did he do it? She needed help, Baleshwar puts it simply. That day it was Roma. Tomorrow it could be you or me by the tracks, bleeding and alone.

The Six Worst Health Mistakes Women Make

Avoiding them could save your life

By Charu Bahri Share it Text Size: AA AA | Print it | Email it

Women have to take care of their health. Photo: Istockphoto You may have heard that women dont have to worry so much about heart diseaseits a mans problem. Even though Bangalore homemaker Radhika Patel* was diagnosed with breast cancer, she insisted on postponing treatment until summer holidays had started for her two school-going children. This mindsetputting the familys wellbeing much before their own healthis typical of many women and, doctors opine, is one of the biggest health mistakes women make. Its not always easy to shift the focus from work and family to oneself, but the likely payoffa longer, healthier lifeis worth the trouble. 1. UNDERESTIMATING HEART DISEASE You may have heard that women dont have to worry so much about heart diseaseits a mans problem. False! Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Indian women too, accounting for 17 percent of female mortality. Some doctors are slow to recognize heart disease in women. According to studies, women wait longer than men to go to hospital when having a heart attack, and physicians are slower to recognize the presence of heart attacks in women because characteristic patterns of chest pain and ECG changes are less frequently present.

Also, India has the highest number of diabetics in the world. According to Dr Anil Mishra, medical director and senior consultant cardiologist at Kolkatas B.M. Birla Heart Research Centre, men who have diabetes have double the chances of developing heart disease. But, he points out, the risk becomes four-fold in the case of women. Stress at work, a very competitive lifestyle, eating out and fast food, smoking and alcohol intake are increasing in women especially in the 20 to 50 age group, adds Dr Ashok Seth, chairman and chief cardiologist at New Delhis Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre. All these significantly increase their chances of developing heart disease at a younger age. Oestrogen, the female hormone, is known to protect women from heart disease until they reach menopause. But its becoming increasingly clear that recent lifestyle changes are neutralizing this protective role. Women suffering from coronary heart disease often present atypical chest pain and shortness of breath, Dr Mishra explains, not the classic symptoms seen in men, such as crushing chest pain or pain down the left arm. Women suffer silent ischaemia more often than men, which means they may experience no pain at all. So, many women mistakenly identify their heart-related symptoms as gas-related, and take antacids. By not understanding, or downplaying, the condition, women often delay seeking essential medical attention. Women over 30 should take a lipid profile test to know their bad (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Women with high total cholesterol due to high good (HDL should be above 50) cholesterol may not have an increased risk of heart disease. On the other hand, some women with only slightly elevated cholesterol levels may have high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol and high triglyceride levels, and therefore be at increased risk. 2. PUTTING OFF PAP SMEARS The Pap smear test is a simple examination of cervical cells for malignancies. Its a shame theres no national cervical cancer-screening program. Even worse, most Indian women are dismally unaware of the need to undergo regular screening. Dr Suneeta Mittal, professor and head, department of obstetrics and gynaecology at New Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences, recommends that a woman should have her first Pap test three years after commencing sexual activity. Thereafter, she should be tested every two years. Women testing negative over three consecutive Pap tests may choose to test once every three to five years. But those with increased risk (such as those with multiple sexual partners, a family history of cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia or human papillomavirus infections) should undergo an annual Pap smear. Dr Mittal also advises women with symptoms of vaginal discharge (especially if its bloodstained), inter-menstrual bleeding or postcoital bleeding, to consult a gynaecologist. In short, dont ignore these symptomsearly diagnosis and prompt treatment increases the chances of being cured. 3. NEGLECTING BREAST EXAMS

Dr D. Vasanthi, head, department of gynaecology, Apollo Hospital, Chennai, suggests that women undergo a mammogram at age 40. After that, an ultrasound scan of the breast may be made part of an annual health check-up. Only women at high risk, who have a family history of breast cancer, may be prescribed more frequent mammograms. But hospital screening and mammograms arent foolproof. Experts estimate that about 20 percent of the cancers detected in a given year will be missed at the screening, but will become clinically evident in the period before the next screening. Thats why regular self-examinations are important. Dr Chittaranjan N. Purandare, noted Mumbai gynaecologist, who was until recently president of the Federation of Obstetric & Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), advises women to make self-examination of their breasts a regular habit. It is simply a question of checking to see if there are any changes in the appearance of the breast, or feeling a lump, he says. Why is this so important? The incidence of breast cancer in urban India is rising. And recent studies show that incidence of breast cancer has overtaken cervical cancer, cited as the most frequent cancer in Indian women only a decade ago. Neerja Malik, 56, founder of the Apollo Cancer Support Group in Chennai and a two-time breast cancer survivor, also strongly endorses self-examination. In spite of having done a mammogram, I detected my breast cancer myself both times at ages 44 and 51. The first time, I detected a lump myself 10 months after the mammogram. The next time, a lump had grown considerably and I felt some discomfort when I slept on my stomach, she recalls. I wish I had done breast self-examinations regularly; it may have helped earlier detection. As Dr Rajendra A Badwe, director of Mumbais Tata Memorial Hospital, a leading centre for cancer care, observes, if the average of one in 28 women in India who will develop breast cancer during their lifetime detect the disease at an early stage, they have every reason to enjoy a longer life, the five-year survival rate in India being 80 percent. 4. NOT KNOWING FAMILY HISTORY Knowledge of which diseases run in your family, especially those that developed before age 50, can sometimes help determine which tests a woman may need, and when. After Geeta Kudva, a Bangalore mother of two boys, reached menopause at 42, her gynaecologist advised her to perform regular breast self-examinations, stressing that Geeta had a higher risk of developing breast cancer because she had reached menopause at a comparatively early age. At the time, Geeta tested negative for breast cancer. I made it a point to keep tabs on my health, she says. Two years ago, when I was 52, I detected a pea-sized mass in my breast and immediately reported it to my gynaecologist. I was found to have a malignant tumour. While Geeta has completely recovered from cancer today, what is noteworthy is the fact that 20 years ago, Geetas maternal aunt had developed breast cancer also at age 52. She died within a year of diagnosis.

Knowing that a cancer runs in your family can help you decide on early testing. If its breast cancer, its best to start yearly mammograms five to 10 years earlier than the age at which a close relative developed breast cancer, but generally not before the mid- to late 20s. 5. IGNORING CALCIUM Ten to 15 percent of Indian women over the age of 60 are likely to suffer an osteoporotic fracture. These include spinal breaks that cause dowagers hump, and debilitating hip fractures. To prevent osteoporosis, take steps now. A womans bone mass peaks by about age 30; after that, it decreases by a slight amount every year until menopause, following which the loss accelerates. The higher you start your peak bone density, the better off you are, experts say. Staying active helps fight this bone-wrecking disease. Doctors recommend 1000 mg of calcium a day for women between 19 and 50, inclu-ding pregnant and lactating women, and 1200 mg for women 51 and over. Two cups of skim milk and 225 grams of curd together can provide about 1000 mg. 6. SKIPPING EXERCISE No time? Regular exercise is one way to save time, since it gives you more energy for the rest of your day. Plus, it fights stress, lowers the risk of a slew of diseases and boosts overall health. And it promotes weight loss, making for one less thing to worry about. Professor V.B.N. Prasad, head of the department of orthopaedics at Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, points out that even housework provides good exercise. He maintains that those who do a lot of housework can avoid or significantly postpone osteoporosis. Health experts recommend 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Even things like walking and gardening count. Muscle-strengthening exercises are also important. Remember Radhika Patel, the dedicated mother who postponed her cancer treatment? The children were my top priority, she recalls, although taking care of her own health would in fact have been better for her children. Fortunately, her husband insisted she start treatment immediately. She underwent surgery and six months of chemotherapy, after which she was on medication for seven years. If women neglect their health and miss screening and check-ups, or decide to postpone a treatment, its up to other family members to take charge. Today, 20 years after that grim diagnosis, Radhika Patel is doing fine, thanks to prayer and positive thinking, as she puts it, and to my husband who understood that any delay could have had disastrous consequences.