Noble deed by Norwegian tourist
b.V.S. BHASKAR
Helge Edgar
Helge Edgar is a veteran tourist with 59 years of travelling experience and has covered almost 70 per cent of the globe. “Travelling is a broadening of mind, so travel more and broaden your minds,” is his slogan. He spends Christmas to May at his home in Norway and the rest of the year in some country in the world, mostly in India, which he likes quite a lot.
The 77-year old retired school teacher came to India three years ago and reached Velugubanda village on the outskirts of Rajahmundry to see Krishi Public School for underprivileged children.
Edgar, who has been suffering from prostate cancer for almost four years, had an interaction with Jayaraj and Shanti, principal and director of the school respectively, on helping out the children at Krishi Public school. He came to know about Chinni (10), daughter of V. Satyanaryana and Varalakshmi, agriculture labourers. Chinni joined only a few days ago as she is suffering from an umbilical hernia which occurs when part of the bowel or fatty tissue pokes through an area near the belly button (navel, umbilicus), pushing through a weak spot in the surrounding abdominal wall. The girl was taken to Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad first and then she was referred to Chennai for major surgery to remove the part hanging outside the stomach. The cost of the surgery was estimated at Rs.20 lakh. Without giving a second thought, Helge Edgar asked his Norwegian bank to send a cheque to Global Hospital, Chennai, for Rs.20 lakh for surgery.
Chinni came back to Velugubanda village all smiles only two days ago and the entire village felicitated Helge Edgar who had contributed his hard earned money for an underprivileged girl who is living thousands of miles from his home.
“Only in India I found gratitude. Only here it is possible to see things like happiness in others, an inclusive attitude and a happy joint family system. It makes this country great,” says Edgar.
Only in India I found gratitude. Only here it is possible to see happiness in others, an inclusive attitude and happiness in joint family system. They make this country great
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