The Unsung Hero

Only a life lived for others is worth living: Albert Einstein

Courage, Determination, Humanity, Empathy ……..these may appear only words to few but for some it means more than life.

Words really can’t describe the valiant effort of Javed, 18, who was a resident of Mandawli in east Delhi, was working at a clothes stall at the Brand India fair on Monday when the fire broke out. He got out unhurt, but went back in when he saw the children trapped. He collapsed after his sixth attempt, and suffered 70 per cent burns.

Friend Sarfuddin said: “He heard the cries of small children and rushed back inside to save them. He saved many lives and then a piece of burning synthetic cloth fell on him and he got badly burnt because of that,” he said.

The student of Sarvodaya Boys Senior Secondary School at Vinod Nagar in east Delhi had just sat for his Class XII CBSE examination. He took the job at the Meerut fair to help his father Mizaz Ahmed, who does embroidery work for a living. Javed was the eldest of three sons; his brothers are 12 and 9.

First admitted to Meerut’s Sushila Jaswant Rai Hospital, he was moved to Safdarjung Hospital where he died.

“I lost my son because they did not take good care of him. If they had taken good care, he would still be alive. The Meerut doctors kept him alive for three days but as soon as he was brought to Delhi, he died,” his mother Anida Begum cried.

What was meant to be a visit to a fair ended up in a visit to death bead? There are too many controversies surrounding the death of Javed whose effort saved the life of six kids.

Now for moments just imagine the kind of empathy and humanitarian values this young man showed when he saw the kids stranded in the fire. I’m sure many people would have been around, expressing dismay, fear and pity for the kids who were left helpless, but hats off to the courage shown by the young man who sacrificed his life for others.

Now compare this with what Bangalore experienced yesterday after Dr. Rajkumar’s demise. With due respect to Dr. Rajkumar I can safely say that the unsung heros of the world deserve much more than the silver screen heroes who simply do what they are paid for.