Rising Through the Storm…
He doesn’t seek the spotlight. He doesn’t post about his pain or wear his scars like badges of honour. But behind his quiet exterior lies a powerful story of resilience, grit, and grace. This is not a tale that demands attention. It earns it—gently, steadily, and with extraordinary dignity. The man in question prefers to remain unnamed—not out of modesty, but because he believes the focus should remain on the journey, not the individual. His life, however, reads like a script shaped by destiny: full of promise, upheaval, miracles, and redemption. In the early 1980s, at just 20, he had secured a research position at one of Asia’s leading pharmaceutical institutes. His future in science looked assured—until a sharp pain in his right knee led to a diagnosis that upended everything. A bone tumour. Malignancy was suspected. Surgery was urgent. At the time, he was already battling glaucoma, enduring daily treatments that left him temporarily blind for hours. Family responsibilities loomed large. The pressure was relentless. Fortunately, the tumour turned out to be benign. But the recovery was slow and arduous. With his scientific career derailed, he pivoted to journalism, accepting a trainee reporter role at India’s national news agency. What began as a stopgap soon became a lifelong calling. Fate, however, wasn’t finished testing him. A few years into his new career, a scooter accident left him with a dislocated shoulder and a fractured knee—this time the left knee. He spent months bedridden, dependent on others for even the most basic needs. The physical pain was immense. But it was the emotional toll—the loss of independence—that nearly broke him. He credits his wife with holding him together. A working professional and a caregiver, he balanced both roles with quiet strength and unwavering support. At 28, life gave him a reason to hope again: the birth of his daughter, whom he calls his “embodiment of Lakshmi”—a symbol of grace and new beginnings. But joy was short- lived. The tumour recurred in the same knee, this time the size of a guava. Doctors recommended amputation. Then came an unlikely lifeline: cryosurgery, a radical procedure at the time. A team of 10 surgeons at a premier medical institution performed a six-hour operation, freezing the tumour at -40°C to save the limb. Once again, it proved benign. “We knew a journalist needed his legs,” one of the surgeons told him later, half-joking, but wholly sincere. “That’s why we took the risk.”
But life had more challenges in store.
A decade later, a simple fall in his courtyard fractured his tailbone and fused his hip. Chronic pain became a permanent part of his life. He now manages multiple health conditions—diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol—which he wryly calls his “royal package.” Yet he endures. He persists.
Now in his late 50s, he remains an academic and an active journalist. He works 18-hour days, writes prolifically, and continues to chase stories with the curiosity and energy of someone half his age. He has become a storyteller—not just of others’ lives, but of his own, through example. His family reflects his quiet determination: a daughter, now a Canadian citizen and “Partner at a Big 4 Consulting firm” …; son-in-law, an electrical engineer; son who is a professor and Dean of Economics; and his wife, a consultant in family welfare and his unwavering partner through every storm. Together, they’ve built a life of meaning—not untouched by hardship, but shaped and strengthened by it. He may choose anonymity, but his courage speaks volumes. His story is not about fame. It is about fortitude. And it isn’t over yet. “I still have work to do,” he says quietly. “And perhaps a few more surprises left in me.”
