N.  R.  I.  P.  A.

also stands for

New Relationships In Parents Association

Mrs. Kumud Mehta

A small gathering of senior citizens in July 2002 has now become a group to reckon with. NRIPA members are all out to help fellow friends, irrespective of castes or religion.

INCIDENTS.

1. It is an incident of utter devotion by one member to help other member. It happened when the floods engulfed the low lying areas of Vadodara. One member (Shri N. Jambhekar) was away in USA and his home was flooded. Not caring for their own safety, they went to the flooded house, cleared, cleaned the house and also its furniture. When Jambhekar returned, this couple helped them to move in to their house and also sent them meals and provided them with transport whenever required. This remarkable couple is none other than Mr. and Mrs. P.N. Sikka.

2. This help is confined not only to Vadodara but help has come through for our NRI children also through our connectivity.

A. When our member Mrs. Leela Ramnathan’s daughter Chitra, came to know that my daughter Chanda and her husband Nandan were to move from Chicago to Grand Rapids, they not only contacted each other before shifting, but Chitra and her husband Sunder helped them to settle down and provided food and help in all respects. They became good friends and were like a family. When Sunder suffered a fracture, Nandan used to take him to hospital and till today they are friends.

B.  Daughter of one of our member, who had just got married 3-4 months ago, had to face a sudden and sad incident in her life. Her husband who was a young software engineer working in USA suddenly fell down in the office and had a stroke. The couple was new in the place and did not know anyone. The husband was admitted to a hospital and later to a nursing home. Another members’ daughter who was although at a distance in USA, tried to help the girl, and gave guidance. This gave the grieved girl a lot of courage.

HELP AT VADODARA

1. Freak Accident- There was a meeting in our Sayaji Gunj Office which continued till late evening. All the members had left and no one had any inkling that one of our members Shri Pinakin Vaidya was still inside and he fell down from 1^st Floor on a cemented ground below. There was no occupant in the building except few boys on the third floor. At about 11 PM, President got a call from Mrs. Vaidya, inquiring of her husband’s whereabouts. There was panic everywhere. Telephones started ringing in many of our member’s homes. In the mean time some one from nearby Maharaja Hotel called up to inform that a gentleman was lying on the floor asking for help and has given number to be contacted. He had hurt his spine and could not be moved. Number of members rushed to help him and ambulance was called. The lock of the gate had to be broken to take the patient out. He was rushed to an orthopedic hospital. Members remained there till early hours till procedures were completed and treatment started.

2. Another poignant story is of wife of a Muslim member who did not get US VISA. The parents had not met their only daughter for last 8 years. The girl was expecting a child after 8 years and wanted her mother to be with her. Both the parents and the girl anxiously wanting to meet each other. As luck would have it, the father got the VISA but the lady was refused three times even after appeal. The NRIPA directly appealed to the Hon Consulate General by name and the VISA was granted immediately.

3. One of our members Shri J. M. Mehta was diagnosed with a clot or a small tumor in the brain. NRIPA members accompanied him for various consultations and   tests and above all gave him and his family courage and feeling of being member of NRIPA family. His operation was successfully done at Mumbai and one of our members and Vice President also remained present.

Mrs. Kumud Mehta