PRINCE

Do you recall a Haryana lad called Prince? He is still well remembered  in his area and even 50 kilometers away people are able to guide you on the winding road to his village once they hear the name. But come to the nearby towns of Shahbad and Kurukshetra and people have to be reminded that on July 21, 2006 he had fallen into a 60-feet deep ditch of a bore-well under construction and was saved after a long struggle of 50 hours. The five-year child was all over the national media, money was showered on him and congratulatory messages sent by the Prime Minister and the President. The wailing face of his mother was on every channel.

Today Prince is all of 10 years and life has taught him how to rise from falls and keep a proud public face. When we reached his village home in Haldehri, near Shahbad, he was sitting calmly outside his house.

Realising that we are mediapersons, he smiles and folds his hands in namaskar. When we inquire about his father, he says: “He has gone out.”

Next we ask for his mother and he hangs his head down. On persistence, he says: “She has passed away.”  Other relatives repeat his words but there is something unconvincing about them. We later learn from his uncle that Prince's mother is not dead but a year and a half ago she made away with the temple priest with her jewellery and the money saved from what Prince had been given after he survived the fall.

The uncle says: “The money given to Prince amounted to Rs 9 lakh. Of this some was spent on renovating the house, buying a motorcycle and other household items. His mother however took the savings with her.”  He adds that she was neglecting her children as she was involved with the priest. According to the uncle, Prince had to be  withdrawn from a good school in Shahbad because his mother would not get him ready on time or keep his uniform neat and tidy. We are stunned by the news and the wailing face of the mother comes before our eyes but what we are impressed by is the repose of the young boy. Prince has a loving father, a 13-year older sister and a younger brother. What is most important is the fact that the lad has learned to face the blows of life and retain his dignity. Atta boy, it is a survivor's world.