About ten days ago, my maid didn’t turn up for work in the evening and she said she was in a hospital, because her brother-in-law met with an accident, has suffered a head injury and was in an ICU in some hospital in Chakkarpur. She came as usual to work next day. I came to understand, that he was a road cleaner and was hit by a car, driven by a female driver, when he was winding up to leave for home at about 3.30 pm.  The man was admitted in a not so good hospital, and 5 days later he succumbed to injury. Why was he not given best possible treatment to save his life?

And today I wake up to read the horrific incident in Jaipur. As humans it’s our basic responsibility to save a life, atleast try our best.

I would like to share a real-life incident, to atleast help people who live under fear, that, what if they get into trouble by helping others or who just don’t know what to do. Back in 2002, I used to work in Bangalore on a project for a consulting firm. I used to commute by Taxi from Fox Town to Sharjapur Road, to the client’s office. One morning I had left for work at 8 in the morning, in a newly bought salwar suit from a boutique. On route on Sharjapur road I saw a man hurt and lying on the road with the back of his head almost split into two and people gathered around to watch. I immediately asked by cab driver to stop and went out to help, despite the cab driver trying to stop me from getting involved.

The injured man was half conscious and people were trying to feed him water, from whatever I remembered from my school days, that you’re not supposed to feed water in such a circumstance ( I still haven’t checked if that’s right). I just asked people to make way and give him fresh air.

I gave them my cotton  duppatta, to tie it around the injured man’s head. Autos  wouldn’t stop. So I asked my cabbie to take the man to the nearest hospital. My cab driver was reluctant and  was worried if he’d get into trouble. I gave him my card ( I didn’t know of what value a freshers  business card would have), but all I wanted to do was reassure and tell him that it was important to save that life, he can always get another job. He and a couple of other immediately rushed the man to the hospital.

They wanted me to follow, to do the needful at the hospital. We admitted him to a nearby hospital for emergency. Luckily the man had a small book with numbers, I called his home and asked his family members to rush to the hospital. Within 30 minutes he was given first aid, arrangements were made for his surgery and his family arrived just in time to complete the formalities for the surgery.

I left the hospital, wishing the family good luck, as I had to get back to work and I was not sure what more value I could add. The same cabbie dropped me back at work.

I hadn’t stored their number and I knew not how to check on his progress. I didn’t get any calls from the family either, but I did get a call from the cabbie, he started getting crazy over the phone about my heroic deed. “ How did you have the courage to do it, when 50 other passersby were only watching? I can’t forget you” and all that non-sense. Then I realised that I forgot to take back my card from him and it had my mobile number. I just had a few days left to leave Bangalore and I avoided calls from him.

Just the day before I could leave, about 15 days after the accident, I received a call from the man whom I’d helped. He thanked me from the bottom of his heart for saving his life. He had taken my number from the hospital records. His wife was in tears over the phone, that a few minutes of delay could have been fatal. I thanked God for giving me the courage to save him. I left Bangalore with the satisfaction of having saved a life. Till date it brings joy to my heart.

imgres-1What I did indeed was a small gesture of taking the lead, many people were willing to help, just that they were not sure where to start and how to do. Over the last 11 years, things have changed many fold, mobile phones are more common and calls more cheaper, more medical help available and more youth rising for a cause. But the masses still seem to be ignorant or indifferent. Every life is precious, do your bit to save one when possible. Count your blessings and share some with the less privileged.