That train was travelling from Mumbai to Bangalore. The ticket examiner came to check the passengers. Among them was a young girl who watched him with great fear. The reason was that she didn’t have a ticket. To escape his notice, she quickly hid under a seat. But the examiner caught her red-handed.
He realized she had no ticket and tried to make her get down from the train. The girl began to cry. She was in a completely helpless state. All the other passengers simply watched; none were willing to intervene.
At that moment, a woman passenger who had been observing everything stepped in. She offered to pay the fare for wherever the girl needed to go. Though the immediate issue was resolved, the girl didn’t even know where she was headed. She was only about thirteen or fourteen years old. Having left home without any clear destination or out of helplessness, she was taken by that woman to Bangalore, which was her own destination.
The woman’s name was Usha Bhattacharya, and the girl’s name was Chitra.
In Bangalore, Usha handed the girl over to a charitable organization. She knew that staying there would completely transform the girl’s life. Soon after, Usha left Bangalore, and as time passed, all contact between them was lost.
One day, Usha Bhattacharya was invited to San Francisco for a lecture. She stayed in a large hotel. When she went to check out and pay the bill, the hotel staff stopped her and said, “Madam, your bill has already been paid. Here is the copy.”
Usha was astonished- who would have paid her hotel bill in America? The staff pointed to a couple at the reception and said they had paid it. Usha went up to them and asked, “Why did you pay my bill?”
The woman replied, “Madam, compared to the train ticket from Mumbai to Bangalore, this hotel bill is nothing.”
Only then did Usha recognize her- it was Chitra.
Today, the world knows that Chitra as Sudha Murty. This incident is recorded in the book The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk.
Many people, once they gain wealth and comfort, tend to forget the gratitude and debts they owe. Their present status often doesn’t allow them to recall or openly speak about a past where they had nothing- they may even feel ashamed of it.
Among such people, Sudha Murty stands out as different. She carried that train journey- and the incident that changed her life- in her heart with gratitude throughout her life. And when she got the opportunity to repay it, she did so beautifully.
How many people are like that? Ask yourself.
There is another side to this story. Even the smallest help we offer can profoundly change someone’s life. Even a single word we say can bring meaningful transformation in another person’s life.
The help that Usha Bhattacharya gave Chitra may have seemed very small- but it completely transformed her life.
So, love one another. Help whenever you can and always carry gratitude in your heart for the goodness you have received.
Regards
Prof Antoney P Joseph
