#168, Dr Ghanshyam Patel
Before we start to write about today’s face of Rajkot, he would like to tell us a story.
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यते रमन्ते तत्र देवता |
Everything was going well. I liked my name, “Prince”. One day my father along with my grandma took me to a small nursing home. After some time, I could feel strange waves hitting me. It was not painful. I did not feel pain even when doctor told, “It’s a baby girl”
My mother still loved me. She changed my name to Princess. I liked that name also. But since that day, none else in my family spoke to me. There was tension in the house. The quality of food given to my mother was degrading… every day. She used to get tired now but never let me be hungry… I knew she was feeding me her blood. Once she consumed a liquid – I guessed some medicine for me –my dear father bought from the city. She did not like the taste but she took it… just for me, my father told her,
“You must take it… the baby will be born healthier…”
After consuming the liquid, my mother felt tremendous pain in her abdomen. It was sucking her life out. The warmth and comfortable liquid of the womb started boiling. I was bit confused. I remembered there was still seven more months to leave the womb. Or it might be that my family wanted to see me sooner. But, it became unbearable for my mother. She tried hard not to hurt me. She tried to stop rivulet of blood coming out of her… it was me… even in extreme pain, she cried for me and persuaded last time to my family,
“Please take me to doctor… she can still be saved…”
None moved…
We reached our destination.
…and I was born. 4th girl child of the family.
My family wanted a prince instead but, I fulfilled their wishes. I got all my elder sisters married, taking my entire family on holidays, sometimes abroad. Now, they are happy and are proud of me.
For decades women in India who have had to endure abort a healthy baby simply because it’s a girl have suffered in silence. But now their horrific stories are being told thanks to an unlikely champion. Dr. Ghanshyam N. Patel.
I made PowerPoint presentations when computers were not so common in our country and I too had limited skills. I learnt how to make a presentation and I went around the places spreading awareness among people about female foeticide. Many doctors have cried seeing my presentations and have taken an oath to stop abortions. My work was appreciated by Gujarat government and they made it their official presentation for awareness, Punjab state requested for a copy of my presentations in Hindi and other southern states too asked for regional copies.
Through this, I would like you all to abort vigorous operation “disappearing daughters” from the earth.
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