It is commonly believed that children are the human form of god. If that is the case, then god has a great sense of humour, many friends and an all-rounder tag. At least that is what, a 12-year-old Delhi boy, Pranav Gupta, taught his family and his friends before his time on earth ended.
Pranav passed away on February 6, 2013, due to a rare condition, dysmotility of intestines, where the intestines go into hibernation. But he left behind a positive mindset, states his mother Priya Gupta. He loved his school and his friends and turning victorious in Ramanujan and Aryabhatta competitions, despite being unwell, was his way of conveying the message to everyone who knew him that nothing can stop him.
A voracious reader and an ardent encyclopaedia fan, one of Pranav’s favourite books was the series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, written by the American author Jeff Kinney. And believe it or not, the latest “Wimpy Kid” series, “The Long Haul” has been dedicated by the writer to Pranav.
Pranav’s mother recalls how it happened. After a lot of strings pulled by Pranav’s well wishers, she says, Kinney got to know about his little fan sitting miles away in India. Kinney chose to celebrate his Christmas on a video chat with Pranav. Pranav was delighted. He thereon kept in touch with Kinney and regularly exchanged emails, thereby building a special bond between them. Kinney even sent him an autographed copy of his last book then in November, 2012.
Pranav’s expiry was a deep loss not only for his family but also for his friends and his school, Mother’s International. A loyal friend and a bright student, Pranav had all the qualities of an ideal all-rounder, a reason why the school introduced a prize in Pranav’s memory. Dance, dramatics and painting were some of his hobbies in which he always excelled.
His mother says, post his loss, she was showered with love and written messages by his friends and well wishers. “I was surprised by the amount of love and good wishes Pranav had given to me. His friends and teachers sent so many written messages that I was advised to write a book about Pranav’s journey on earth. Not knowing what to do, I contacted Jeff Kinney and he suggested me to create a Facebook page for Pranav. On seeing the responses online, we realised that Pranav has not left me to grieve, but has left me with a lot of magic that shows up in little forms everyday, be it his friends loving me like they loved him or strangers coming up to me and giving me a hug on the road. He has healed me beautifully,” says Priya Gupta. Kinney, she adds, dedicated “The Long Haul” to Pranav “with a hope of sharing that positivity he brought with him.”
