It was Superbowl Sunday. I was watching the game with few other friends. Late in the game, I walked to my computer and opened 'Eenadu' internet edition. As a habit I read the news from Hyderabad district also to keep myself posted with the happenings in the capital. One news item 'KaLaaposakulu...Itu Choodaroo!'. It highlighted the plight of an yesteryear's singer Telagareddy Ratna Kumari sleeping on the streets with no food and shelter. As I completed reading it, my inner elements were disturbed and I felt the need to do something to help her. I went back to the game but the article was still ringing a bell in my mind. Then I requested Sri Phani garu and Shanti Vardhan garu to read the same. They read the article and shared the same feelings as mine. In the mean time my feelings to change the plight of Ratna Kumari garu grew stronger. I told Sri Phani garu that we should do something to support her on behalf of SiliconAndhra. He readily agreed.
It was already Monday morning in India. Giving actions to my thoughts, right away, I initiated the first phone call to Dr. J. Chennaiah garu (PRO, Telugu University), a strong supporter of SiliconAndhra. He told me that he saw the same news item and echoed my thoughts to help her in one way or the other. I told him that SiliconAndhra wants to come forward and support her for the rest of her life. He gave me the contact info of Sri Gangadhar, the Eenadu reporter, who wrote the article. I immediately spoke to him and conveyed my intent to support her. He was happy that an NRI organization like SiliconAndhra responded to a news story covered by him. (Eventually Ramoji Rao garu called him to congratulate and expressed his happiness that SiliconAndhra came forward to take care of her). Without wasting anymore time, I then called Mr. Patnaik, Vice President of Global Hospital and requested him to provide the necessary medical help and he readily agreed. I worked the phones for several hours to organize a bunch of things in India to ensure that helped reached Ratna Kumari garu at the earliest.
Monday Evening: Scene moved to Tyagaraya Gana Sabha, Chikkadapally. There were several hundred people, TV Cameras, onlookers and few people, who popped up claiming to be her relatives, gave interviews to TV channels. There was utter chaos all the way. Once media left, everybody left and left her again on the road to her fate. As this circus was unfolding, Gangadhar garu and a few others were standing a little far away from the scene as mere observers. Once everyone left, they jumped into action and she was taken to an Old Age Home accompanied by a good samaritan Sri Janakirama Rao, CMO, SC Rly. She slept for the first time in a secured place in years.
We all thought that was the end of her plight and the start of a new beginning. Unfortunately, it wasn't so. The next morning she was taken to Global Hospital for medical check-up and doctors conducted medical tests. There were no major ailments except severe malnutrition and related issues. But because of years of neglect, she became mentally unstable. Going back to the previous night, she created havoc that disturbed the other inmates in that old age home. As a result, we had to find a new place to host her, starting Tuesday. As it comes to her mental condition - She remembers her past for sometime, behaves normally and then suddenly she loses balance and acts differently. By Tuesday afternoon, she became completely restless and was in a very combative mood. She wanted to run away. The doctors advised the people to not to pressure her too much and leave her alone for some time.
There was an urgent need to find a place that could accommodate her, where she could be looked after and help her in more than one way. After making literally more than one hundred phone calls, a place called 'Sevaasram' was found in Annaram Village, Medak District (Far outskirts of Hyderabad). Lakshmi garu, the caretaker of that place came forward to take her in. It was a Herculean effort to move her from Chikkadapally to Annaram. She was admitted there finally. I spoke to Laksmi garu at length and she assured me to take care of Ratna Kumari garu with personal touch.
After several years on the streets, she has been sleeping on a bed with a roof on top, away from the harsh elements of a street. There was a little bit of progress in the last three days. She is being given bath and she herself was asking for the food. The asram people expressed their willingness to help bring her mental and physical condition to normal.
The real hero in this was Sri Gangadhar. Most of the reporters write a story as a profession and leave it there. But he followed up the story and worked with tremendous amount of commitment and dedication towards changing her plight facing several hurdles that were not mentioned here. He was supported by his wife Anju. The others that were actively involved are Sri Chennaiah garu and Seema (NATCO) who was instrumental in locating this Sevasram. It was an emotional roller coaster ride for all of us who were closely involved in this endeavor for the last one week.
The real challenge started now. We need to mobilize the resources to support her on a regular basis. For now, Chennaiah garu paid Rs.20,000 to asram out of his pocket which we need to reimburse and there were some other expenses. Ratna Kumari garu is not even remotely related to Gangadhar garu or Chennaiah garu, but the humanitarian side of their personality saw them help her much more than one’s own relatives would do. Let’s all rekindle that side of our personality and come forward to support her. It just takes a few minutes of our time and few bucks to bring change in one’s life, in Rata Kumari garu’s case, to give new life to her. I urge all those kind hearted and well placed people to come forward to help her.
Please see below the pictures of her on the street and now having her lunch in the asram.
