Little Angel

My wife called, 'How long will you be with that newspaper? Will you come here and make your darling daughter eat her food?'

I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter Sindu looked frightened.

Tears were welling up in her eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice. Sindu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has just turned eight. She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox, and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice! I cleared my throat, and picked up the bowl.

'Sindu, darling, why don't you take a few mouthful of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear.

Sindu softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands.

'OK, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this.

But, you should...' Sindu hesitated. 'Dad, if I eat this entire curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?'....

Oh sure, darling'.... 'Promise?'......... 'Promise'.

I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal.

'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter insisted.

My wife put her hand on Sindu's, muttering 'Promise'. Now I became a bit anxious.

'Sindu dear, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. OK?'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'.

Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity.

I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat something that she detested. After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me with her eyes wide with expectation. All our attention was on her.

'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand.  

'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'A girl child having her head shaved off? Impossible!' 'Never in our family!' my mother rasped.

'She has been watching too much of television. Our culture is getting totally spoiled with these TV programs!'

Sindu darling, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything else', Sindu said with finality.

'Please, Sindu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?'

I tried to plead with her.

'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'.

Sindu was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for.

Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honor our promises no matter what?'

It was time for me to call the shots.

'Our promise must be kept.'

'Are you out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.

'No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honor her own.

Sindu, your wish will be fulfilled.'

With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes looked big and beautiful.

On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindu walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile. Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Sinduja, please wait for me!'

What struck me was the hairless head of that boy.

'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought. 'Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed!' Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued,' that boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son Harish. He is suffering from... ... leukemia.' She paused to muffle her sobs.

Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates.

'Sinduja visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue.

But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son! Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'

I stood transfixed. And then, I wept. 'My little Angel, you are teaching me how self-less real love is!'

Dhyan Chand : One of our Greatest Heroes

Its a real story of an Indian soldier, who faced one of the deadliest Military Leaders, the modern world has seen so far...

It was Berlin Olympics and India had to play the mighty Germany in the Hockey finals. Just before the match the Indian Coach, Pankaj Gupta, got the then Congress Flag in the dressing room. All the players saluted it and sang Vande Mataram, the then National Anthem of India.

When India reached the finals, it was presumed by the Germans that another gold medal was just a matter of time. Germany was presumed to be winner. To boost the morale of his team, the Dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler himself came to witness the match. By half time India was leading 1-0. The playing conditions were not conducive for India in the second half. Fearing defeat the ground was deliberately wet by the ground staff, which would not suit the sub-standard shoes of Indian players. The captain of Indian team was Dhyan Chand, who was facing difficulty in running with his shoes in the wet ground. Dhyan Chand took his shoes off and started playing barefoot. India won the final and the Gold medal by 8-1, out of which 6 Goals were scored by Dhyan Chand himself.

Hitler, left the stadium in between the match as he could not see his team losing. When Hitler came to know about the magic of Dhyan Chand, he expressed his will to meet Dhyan Chand. Dhyan Chand could not sleep the whole night. The next morning he found Hitler in front of him.Dhyan Chand was numb and so as every body, thinking as to what would follow next in lion's den. Hitler looked at the rotten shoes of Dhyan Chand and asked-

"What else you do?"

Dhyan Chand: I am in Army.

Hitler: What is your rank?

Dhyan Chand: I am Lance Nayak.

Hitler: Come to Germany. I will make you Field Marshal.  

Dhyan Chand was in flux, whether it was an instruction or offer. Breaking his silence of few seconds, Dhyan Chand replied," India is my Country, and I am fine there".  

Not even the Generals of Hitler's Army had audacity to reply back to him. It was then Hitler took his eyes of Dhyan Chand's shoes and said," As you feel good", and walked off.

That was the pride and honour a Lance Nayak of the Indian Army bore in his attitude. Indian Hockey may be in a bad shape today, but Major Dhyan Chand has become immortal. Above all, do the current generation of citizens carry the same pride, even if they are not Dhyan Chand. You can decide for yourself.

Indian Real Life Heroes

Their real life stories are so inspiring that after looking into their achievements, the perception of life takes a different dimension altogether. Unfortunately, the swimming, or any Olympic sport for that matter, does not get due recognition and sponsorship in India due to an insensitive system that continues to be reluctant in providing support to the sports aspirants, but thanks to few individuals and organizations , who come out in the open and provide a platform to the sports enthusiastic aspirants to grow and realize their dreams ,specially the challenged ones who strive to come over their disabilities and often demonstrate exemplary achievements that surprise the normal human beings