Finally, it was an octogenarian that came to the rescue of a teenager. Shaikh Attaullah (15), who had lost his lower limbs and a hand in a freak fire mishap ten years ago, is a much relieved person now. On Wednesday, he got an electric wheel chair and prosthetics, enabling him to move on his own.
The boy’s plight, highlighted in these columns, touched many a person, including school kids. An 80-year old philanthropist, Tata Murthy, and his friend from Bangalore, pooled in money to present Attaullah an electric chair costing Rs. 90,000. The Helping Hand Foundation, which took up the cause of the unfortunate boy, donated prosthetics. It was a touching scene when Mr. Murthy presented the wheel-chair to Attaullah at the Foundation office on Wednesday.
His eyes welled up with tears and voice chocked as he blessed Attaullah, who is an Intermediate student.
Mr. Murthy, an ardent reader of The Hindu , was touched when he read the story about Attaullah and wanted to do his bit for him. On earlier occasions also, he has extended a helping hand after reading the plight of unfortunate persons in these columns. But before rendering help, Mr. Murthy visited Attaullah’s college and obtained first-hand information.
The boy’s father Shaikh Zakaullah and HHF chairman Mujtaba Hasan Askari were also present on the occasion.
