Yeh Dosti!

“We are best friends, and we take care of each other!”

Vanita and Nirmala, two neighbors and best friends, had come to the Sankara Eye Hospital in Panvel to get their cataract surgeries done.

Both in their late 60s, their children were grown up and had moved to the cities for better opportunities.

A few years ago, Vanita had a major accident and her left leg had to be amputated.

No one to curse her fate, Vanita got herself a prosthetic limb attached to her right thigh – the Jaipur Foot – with the support of an NGO.

Now, Vanita is a farmer. A farming job requires one to be standing for hours, working physically in the fields, in rain, storm, heat and other weather conditions.

“So how do you manage the farming now, Vanitabai?” we asked her.

“She is with me – my friend – Nirmala! She does the ploughing and harvesting. I do the crop segregation, the cutting, the peeling of corn - work that I can manage while sitting. We work together!”

Vanita smiled at her friend, and added, “It is my turn to look after Nirmala as she just had her cataract surgery done. Mine is scheduled next month!”

“We are best friends!” quipped Nirmala, very proudly.

And they both hugged and smiled for the camera, their laughter genuine and lovable!