Personality Of The Week

“The little ray of sunshine that comes into their lives has some therapeutic effect.” This is how M. Vania, a decorated IAF Officer with more than three decades of standing, who is now the Programme Director of Make-A-Wish Foundation of India, Coimbatore centre, describes his organisation’s efforts to breathe some life into the terminally ill children. It really defies logic to see the passion of a 74-year-old man who has retired as Air Commodore taking up the work of caring for children whom he knows as ones whose days are numbered. That too in a place which is not his native.

Born in Delhi, graduated in English Literature and commissioned in IAF in 1958, originally as a parachute jump instructor, he spent 16 years in Agra Para Troopers Training School. He has seen both the 1965 and also 1971 operations and won Shaurya Chakra and Vayusena Medal. He went back to Agra to join the R&D wing of the Agra unit at the specific instance of Gen. Gill. Then he took over as the Commandant of the Air Force Administrative College, Coimbatore, his alma mater, in 1983. He was posted back to the same institution in 1987 to retire in 1990. He settled down in Coimbatore itself.

He is one who loves para-jumping which he successfully did even when he was 70. “If I were to get a chance, I will do it even now and age can never be a handicap for me,” he asserts with his eyes glistening with anticipation. In a chat with G. Satyamurty he narrates his new avatar. “Even during the earthquake in Kutch, I used to extend some minor help with the assistance of my friends like collecting clothes and passing it on to the victims. By then I came into contact with Fr. John of Don Bosco Anbu Illam whose association led me to thinking of doing something for the underprivileged. However, when Fr. John left for Rome for further studies, the thread snapped.”

“My wife Prathima and I love children and hence, my wife has been running a small play school for the past 20 years with a strength of just 30. We believed that education at pre-school level was very weak. We thought the usual nursery rhymes like “Jack and Jill” would not suit Indian conditions and I started writing a few nursery rhymes as well. Slowly I was drawn to the Raksha, the hospice run by the GKNM Hospital here.”

Mr. Vania mentions a doctor who spent his life with such children. “The dignity showed by these children is something that far outweighs even the one shown by the healthy ones like us.” One led to the other. A photographic record of 11 children who lived and died in the hospice was compiled.

Explaining the endeavour, he says “if and when it is published, it draws you to such people with just a few days to live showing tremendous dignity.” Mr. Vania also visited Colachel after the tsunami and met the children in schools who lost all their belongings. “With the financial help of friends like Harish Kripalani and C.V. Raju we could give 1,000 children uniform, books, stationery, etc. The entire funding was only from friends and relatives.”

“After my retirement, I refused to work anywhere. No more 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for me, I told myself. However the authorities of Make-A-Wish Foundation, which brings a ray of sunshine into the lives of the terminally ill children, have made me take up the current assignment. It is scientifically proved that mental satisfaction has some therapeutic effect on such children. On the flip side, it gives some moral satisfaction to the volunteers because this is a work carried out with conviction and sincerity.”

The Coimbatore centre now has only four hardcore volunteers and mostly the internees from various colleges assist it. Most of them are committed ones. Though there is national funding, most of the expenses are invariably borne by well-wishers and friends. The main mission of the Foundation is to fulfil at least one wish of such children before their end. The Foundation has tied up with the Haemophiliac Society also. Mr. Vania admits the credit should go to hospitals that have accepted them, recognised their work, allowed them to visit their paediatric wards and identify children who have very little time left.

The volunteers go to the children and break the ice giving them some toys, teddy bear, etc. “We try to fulfil the wish of these children. It could be either material wish like getting a toy or ambition of being some one. Muthu aspired to be a soldier which he never would be. But we got him uniform, took him to a local army unit and even got his photograph published in uniform. His mother told us after his demise that he wanted to be cremated in uniform. A boy suffering from leukaemia wanted to be in NCC. The hospital gave us ambulance. We took him to the local NCC unit, gave him NCC uniform and made him feel happy.” Mr. Vania is all kudos to people like Dr. Guhan who discharge their love and affection to these unfortunate through their dedication and sincerity.

Will it be possible for the volunteers to remain emotionally insulated after being with children who might be breathing their last in front of their eyes? Mr. Vania is categorical: we should not get emotionally involved. Don’t go to them with a gloomy face. Try to make them happy as much as you can. But that cannot happen if you were to carry your feelings. By getting emotionally involved, you will not be doing justice to your job. Your work is not with the past but with the present.

The response for the Foundation’s work in Coimbatore has been tremendous, asserts Mr. Vania.Even on February 10 this year, there was a fund-raising dinner. Besides, as a matter of a micro fund raising, books with 50 leaves with the photograph of a child with an “enigmatic smile” was brought out. The poster says: the smile costs Rs. 10 only. “This is not mere fund-raising but a drive to make more people aware of the mission of the Foundation.” On July 19, a tea party is planned to boost the morale of such children wherein they will be provided shirts, sweets, etc. Besides, there will be a dance performance, magic show and some will sing for them.

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