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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Asha ki Kiran

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By Beena Sarwar

Found to be inoperable in Bangalore, young Kiran Soomro won over scores of hearts and has returned to Pakistan with a priceless gift of love and homemade Singhar mithai

Kiran and Nitu: At Haji Alis Dargah

n January 20, 2014, her seventeenth birthday, Kiran Soomro flew from Karachi to Bangalore on with her parents. They left with hope in their hearts and a prayer on their lips, expecting that Dr. Devi Shetty at the Narayana Health hospital would be able to surgically close the hole in Kirans heart. Five days later, they learnt that her condition is inoperable by now. It would have been a fairly simple operation had it been looked into and treated earlier. Doctors initially discussed a heart-and-lung transplant. Dr. Balakrishnan, a wellknown surgeon from Chennai drove down on his own initiative to examine Kiran in Bangalore. The medical consensus is that for now she should continue on the medicines that she was prescribed in Delhi six months earlier. These have already greatly improved her quality of life and with proper care and continued medication, she can continue to live a reasonably normal life. Kiran and her family have shown dignity and courage in dealing with their troubles. And so many across borders, boundaries and religious divides showed the power of love and humanity in their effort to make Kiran comfortable. Word about her needs spread through the Aman ki Asha network. There were many financial contributions, amounts ranging from thirty to a thousand dollars, including from non-Sindhi Indians. PIA donated the tickets for the KarachiMumbai-Karachi flight. In Karachi, Haresh Jiwnani and Dr Birma Jesrani went to see them off at the airport, and to receive them when they returned on Feb 3. Narayan Health is located far from Bangalore city, but so many in India generously shared their precious time and resources, making the trip to spend time with her and make her feel at home. Kirans journey got off to a rocky start, as the KarachiMumbai flight was delayed by five hours. Waiting at Mumbai airport with rebooked tickets to Bangalore was Nitu Jiwnani, 26, a dancer who met

them in Delhi last May. Connected by their common language, Sindhi, she adopted Kiran as her younger sister and refers to Kirans father as Abbu and mother as Ammee. Kiran became special for me, she says. Kiran, red-eyed, exhausted clung to Nitu and wept. She didnt want to get on another plane. Nitu comforted and cajoled her, then took them in a taxi to the domestic terminal some distance away. Fortified by a snack and a cold drink, and a pep talk from Nitu, Kiran felt able to tackle the journey ahead. Landing in Bangalore past midnight, first they were unable to locate the vehicle that was picking them. When they reached the hotel they found that their room had been given away as they were no longer expected. Another room was arranged but the kitchen was closed, so no dinner. They spent the next day completing the formalities of reporting at the Foreigners' Registration office, as Indian and Pakistani visitors

not to take the elevator, said Pai, whom Kiran took to calling Nanaji (grandfather). He was with the family during the subsequent transport delays that day and when they moved to a guesthouse closer to the hospital. The new room was distressingly sparse and small; the staff had expected Kiran and her mother to stay at the hospital. Besides the moral support his presence provided, they were able to use his cell phone to make some calls to try and sort out the situation. Aman ki Asha volunteers went into action to arrange better accommodation, researching and making bookings. From Delhi, Samir Gupta woke up his sister Shikha in Bangalore at 6 am to cook for Kiran. The working mother happily did so, and packed daal, bhindi and green chutney for them before leaving for office that morning. Young Aman Alam and Siddharth Manu went by on a motorbike to pick it up and take it to Kiran. The gesture moved Kirans mother to tears. Sid-

Tea with lovely Nandita Das: Sunday in Mumbai She is a girl with an incuits. domitable will with a zest to live and This India-Pakistan thing is fulfill her unrealised dreams, he purely psychological. We are human observed. A profile in courage. beings, arent we? said Hunaid. As Sikander Ali draped a Sadiqua was thrilled to be able to farewell gift, an ajrak from Hydertake Kiran and her parents out for abad, Sindh, around Pais shoulders dinner and coffee a couple of times. on their last day in Bangalore, Pai She wanted to go for a long got a lump in his throat. drive, so we took her along the elevated highway. Shahrukh Khans music was itu met them at the airport in playing in the Mumbai the following aftercar, which noon, Saturday. They took a made Kiran taxi to her one-bedroom rental. very happy, They made the most of their time in said Sadiqua. the city before taking the flight She also back on Monday. They visited took them shopLokhandwala Market and ate out. ping to buy gifts The girls bought matching banjara for the other pants and black t-shirts to wear the children, espefollowing day. They had to take care cially the of the police registration and say a youngest, sixprayer and eat a meal at Haji Alis year old Hina, for dargah. whom they And since it is after all Mumbai, bought a big pink how could they not touch the enterteddy bear. tainment world? Nitu introduced When the docthem to some television actor Nanaji Konchadhi Vasant Pai in tors pronounced friends who are finalists in the Nach his new ajrak given by Abbu Sikander: Kiran to be inoperable, Pai Baliye contest. Friendship is a precious gift went over to find Kiran red Well-known film star Nandita faced from sobbing, and her Das found time to invite them over parents downcast but slowly for tea and a chat on Sunday afterreconciling to the situation. noon. She was touched by the close Kiran too slowly came to relationship between Kiran and Nitu terms with the reality. Sikanand they were moved by her downdar Ali, a simple, humble to-earth interaction. man with a golden heart, was The visit ended with the sweettrying his best to keep his ness of homemade mithai. Bhavana daughter in good humour, Makhija dropped off several boxes make her laugh and eat in the of the internationally packaged restaurant and sip Sprite, her Mothers Touch Singhar Mithai that favourite cold drink. Later, she deals on behalf of Raju and A pink teddy for Hina: they sat in the garden in the sun. Suman Chhabria Parwani; they are Kiran and Sadiqua Kiran talked about Bollywood, members of the Facebook group whether Shilpa Shetty is from BanSindh Aman ji Asha (where Nitu is galore, the names of the playback sioner of Police Bangalore and foran administrator). Suman Parwani singers of whom she knew more . Komer Member of Parliament Mr P makes the mithai that they wanted than me, says Pai. dandaramiah and his wife visited, to send back to Pakistan. Inspite of having dropped out wanting to make a personal finanThe India trip did not turn out as from school, I found her very intelcial contribution. But there was no Kiran and her family had hoped. ligent and more computer savvy need so many had already doBut they have returned with the than me. nated. precious gift of love and hopes and Kiran cheered up further when After Ruchhita Kazaria in prayers for Kirans health and wellPai let her use his iPad to Skype Kolkata contacted the Bangalore being echoed by many more hearts with her siblings in Karachi. chapter of her St. Xaviers College across the globe. Calcutta Alumni Association, Xaverians Hunaid and Sadiqua went over The writer is Editor, Aman ki Asha. with biryani, chocolates and bisEmail: beena.sarwar@amankiasha.com them the Lal Bagh (royal botanical garden completed by Tipu Sultan) but was unable to due to the delay in the reports. The Soomros managed to see the gardens another day, hiring a taxi for the trip. AKA volunteers coordinated to ensure that they had enough cash for their expenses. Ex-Commis-

Kiran and Nitu in Mumbai: This is Aman ki Asha to each others countries are required to do in each city they visit, within 24 hours of arrival and departure. The visa-granting authorities can waive this requirement, but had not done so in this case. AKA volunteer Konchadi Vasanth Pai, 82, went to visit the Soomros several times. At his age, changing three buses for a two-hour long journey, and with severe ankle arthritis, this couldnt have been easy. He shrugged it off: My difficulties pale into insignificance compared to Kiran and her family's. The first time he went, Kiran had started undergoing her medical tests. He found the family as they were going to the International Patients' OPD. Kiran looked tired but climbed the stairs easily, preferring dharth and Aman spent all morning with the Soomros, helping shift them to a roomier, cleaner facility nearby. Rotary took care of the costs incurred by the Soomros stay and hospital fees in Bangalore. Rotarian O.P . Khanna visited them several times, met with doctors, and sent regular reports and updates. Kiran is the 36th Pakistani patient whose medical care he has coordinated. Journalist Zakeer Hussain took over a big parcel of food, making an effort to include meat dishes. Businessman Mansoor Chetlu took over his laptop so that they could Skype with the children in Pakistan. He went again the next day, waiting with them till the doctors reports came in. He had planned to take

Unforgettable Kalam moments

he third edition of the Kolkata Literary Meet (Kalam), held at the iconic Victoria Memorial Hall last week, featured an array of celebrated writers and speakers who took Kolkata by storm. At his session on Saadat Hasan Manto, actor Naseeruddin Shah read from Mantos iconic short story Toba Tek Singh and shared his thoughts on IndiaPakistan relations. He termed the much-hyped film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag as harmful and false, saying, It is a film that thrives on feeding the visceral hatred of Pakistan. Why make the denouement of the movie, a victory over a Pakistani runner? I had felt the same way after seeing this film. That it has been such a big success in India says something about the Indian mind-set. The different reFarida Khanum signing her CD Farida Khanum with Saira Shah Halim and entrepreneur Satnam Singh Ahluwalia
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At the Kolkata Literary Meet, Naseeruddin Shah voices his love for Pakistan and Farida Khanum voices hers for India

By Ruchhita Kazaria

sponses to his latest play "A Walk in the Woods", staged recently both in India and Pakistan illustrate this mindset. The play revolves around an Indian diplomat THE FIRST STEP LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
Feedback, contributions, photos, letters: Email: amankiasha@janggroup.com.pk Fax: +92-21-3241-8343 Post: aman ki asha c/o The News, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi

and a Pakistani diplomat. At one point the Indian says he has thought about wiping out Pakistan by missiles. This line, Shah remarked, had the Indian audience applauding frantically something he found most disturbing. In Pakistan, the same line was met with absolute silence. However, after a pause, the Indian diplomat continues saying that

aane ki khawaaish tou ek zamaane se he cannot afford to think thi." like this again. Phew! The Reminiscing about Kolkata's Ripon Pakistani audience apStreet where she lived before Partition, plauded after the continuaFarida Khanum termed the city as the tion following the pregnant Holy land of music by virtue of many pause. venerated artistes being born there. When Shah asked, She recounted a low voice her first How many of us have a hand experience of the sad friend in Pakistan? I was elated to see several hands go up in the crowd. As a member of the Aman ki Asha Facebook group where Ive made many friends across the border, I couldn't help but beam in delight. Shah talked about the importance of forming one-to-one connections with Pakistanis. Pakistanis meet Indians very warmly and with tremendous fasci- Naseeruddin Shah at Kalam. Photo: IANS nation but in India, we don't reciprocate this feeling. We instead bestory of partition. have condescendingly, he observed. The Humein laga tha angrezon ka koi exception proves the rule. masla hai (we thought it was some issue "I will continue going to Pakistan, keep of the British). But we never performing and keep participating in their imagined that there would be a activities, declared Shah. And permanent break We never for that, if I am called unpatriotic thought that we would be un... So, yes I am unpatriotic! able to return home. We were nother Kalam session feadisplaced. We did not know tured two prominent Pakistaanyone in Lahore. Lahore nis: Malika-e-Ghazal Farida was just a shopping destinaKhanum in discussion with writer Ali tion for us before the Partition. Sethi. The Calcutta-born singer said She fondly spoke about Faiz Ahmed that this visit was like coming home for her. Faiz the influential left-wing poet. Meeting She had long wanted to visit it - "Calcutta him changed her life. She was a child when

she sang Faizs poem, Tufan badil hai, har koi dildaar dekhna, at a college festival in Karachi. Sadly, she had been unable to obtain a no-objection certificate to visit India when Satyajit Ray asked her to sing for Shatranj Ke Khilari. Afsos hota hai ki kaash woh no-objection certificate dete aur mein Satyajit Ray ki film mein gaa paati. Naseeb mein nahin tha woh The evening ended with a standing ovation for the 79 year old ghazal queen. Although jet lagged and suffering from a sore throat, she obliged the audience by singing five ghazals, signing autographs, posing for photographs, giving interviews and more. Calcutta is the place where I was born and where I received my initial training in music. Today I am back and performing, I am so happy. Inshallah, aapse phir mulakaat hogi Personally speaking: I was in the august company of my friend Saira Shah Halim, the niece of Naseeruddin Shah, for both sessions. She helps me understand Shahs love for Pakistan better. Farida Khanum autographed her music CD for me making it priceless. Im eternally grateful to Beena Sarwar for gifting it to me. The writer is a former journalist with The Asian Age and Education Times, The Times of India. ruchhita.kazaria@aarcee.co.in

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