Celebrate the power of random act of kindness

CHENNAI: What is the world’s story about? We believe there to be one, that has humans caught up in their lives with their emotions, with their insatiable hunger and ambitions, with trepidations and inspirations. Amid the expeditious life, lies the true story about the world. A world of kindness.

On the occasion of World Kindness Day on November 13, Ankita Nair talks to the givers and receivers of kindness by the known and the unknown, who let us celebrate a few such acts that have changed lives, proving that kindness can mask cruelty.

Major Devender Pal Singh, retired Army officer, India’s first blade runner

Kindness is something that cannot be defined by one incident or act. I will always reminisce upon those acts of kindness which were shown towards me, when I was grievously wounded. A shell exploded right next to me in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir, during the Kargil War. I had suffered multiple shrapnel injuries all over my body, and was evacuated from the small post at the war zone by my teammates to the field hospital at Akhnoor, where Colonel Rajinder Singh, the Anaesthesiologist, revived me despite being declared dead by the surgeon.

From there, I was shifted to the command hospital at Udhampur for a few days of treatment . Later, I was evacuated by helicopter to the Air Force base at Jammu where I was kept in a section hospital, where I was seen by the Senior Medical Officer, Wg Cdr Dr Premchandran, whom I welcomed with a bout of vomit on his uniform. Unmindful of that, he put me at ease and continued to take care of me.

From Jammu I was evacuated in an Indian airlines chartered flight where six seats were removed to accommodate my stretcher. The air hostess in the flight was given strict instructions not to give me water, for fear of vomiting, and when I requested for some, she kept a moist cotton ball on my lips to soothe me.

While at Udhampur, there was this young civilian , who was assigned the job of feeding me a high protein diet who used every trick to feed me. There are many angels on this earth who were not necessarily my own people, but have been extremely compassionate to me.

Immanuel S, CEO, RMD Group of Hospitals

I had visited multiple schools across the state, where I couldn’t help but notice how talented children lack support in terms of basic facilities. So, I wanted to create an impact in their lives by continuously providing the best support to them and by appreciating those tender minds waiting to flourish.

I adopted a government primary school in Vazhuthalambedu village near Gummidipoondi, which has 72 students, two years ago. I support facilities upgradation, providing furniture, hot water dispensers, bags and lunch boxes to all children, along with creation of a library. I also ensured to provide a free artificial limb to a girl child, along with free medical camps for women and children in school. I have also been working on creating digital classrooms.

Gowri M, Founder - chairman, Vaimaiye Vellum Charitable Trust

To be born as human, the greatest blessing of all, we have to leave behind goodness to the society, was the only thought running through my mind when I started Vaimaiye Vellum Charitable Trust for social welfare, back in 2022. I wanted to do something for the sanitation workers, as they are the ones who deserve a lot of attention because of the immense hard work they put in for our society. Realising their needs, we went on a mission to conduct a free cancer awareness class, and also Cancer screening camps for 1,000 sanitation cleaners.

Mia Mohan, Sex worker

When I was in class five, I realised that I was homosexual and was attracted to boys. Through research, I came to know about my sexuality, initially in contact with known people in my school and the neighbourhood. Later, I got in touch with transgenders and decided to turn one, so that society sees me as a woman. Being 23 now, and an engineering graduate, I became a sex-worker when I was 19.

I came to Chennai and started collecting details on how I can complete my transformation. The surgeries required a huge amount of money, which I earned after being a sex worker. I was never forced into anything. It was never really certain if somebody would fully accept me as a woman.

My husband, Mohan Kumar, an auto rickshaw driver, came as a blessing in disguise. He was once passing by me where I was waiting for my client at night. Mohan came to me, asking me how much? I remember telling him Rs 500. But he laughed and shut me down by complimenting me for being beautiful. We then never stopped meeting each other, and gradually fell in love, something which I never thought I deserved. Him accepting somebody like me for being who I am, letting me do my job, supporting me in every phase of my life proves that the world still has a place for kindness, and that kindness always wins.