Unnathi was born on 10th Jan 2006. We were informed of her diagnosis at birth. I had never heard the term Down Syndrome before and so I didn’t know what to expect. The doctors and nurses at the hospital had sympathy and apology written all over their faces. It wasn’t how I had expected my daughter to be welcomed in this world.
I am blessed to be living in a joint family where every member only sees the ‘up’side of life. In fact, my father-in-law named her Unnathi because he knew that she was here to grow.
In spite of all this support, I was still struggling to accept the diagnosis. When Unnathi was about 1.5 months old, I travelled to Chennai to my parents’ place. That’s where I heard of Rekha Aunty, Dr. Surekha Ramachandran to the world and Rekha Ma to our community. My first meeting with her at Mathru Mandir changed my life. Rekha Aunty showed me a world of possibilities. I don’t have the words to describe how she transformed my life but I’ll sum it up with this – she told me, “Your daughter will do whatever you believe she can. It’s all about your belief and your efforts.” Till date, her words guide me.
Then began a slew of interventions – physiotherapy, sensory integration, speech therapy, yoga, chanting, special education. I was fortunate to connect to some great therapists and I had decided to give it my all. With an awesome family and some amazing friends backing me, Unna started blossoming. Not to forget, her role model, her brother Mudit. Mudit was barely 3 when she was born but he took his Big Brother role quite seriously. He’s her best friend, her teacher, her guide and her critic. He is the biggest influence in her life.
Fountainhead School, Surat has been our greatest blessing. A school that’s truly inclusive – Unnathi is currently studying in grade 9. The school has moulded her, empowered her and most importantly, given her some beautiful friends. She has been for every school trip, she has anchored shows during school events, she has participated in fairs and exhibitions, she also gets opportunities to help around in the community. The management and her teachers are very co-operative and her peers are regularly sensitized.
Unnathi is learning pottery, Kuchipudi; she plays table tennis, loves to dance and has her own Youtube channel. She loves being on the stage and was invited to speak at the United Nations on the occasion of World Down Syndrome day. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
There have been innumerable incidents when she has pleasantly surprised me. She has a great memory, loves learning and her confidence is inspirational. We don’t see her as different and she won’t let anyone treat her as one. She has ziplined, paraglided and even been for some treks with us. She is an impeccable planner and converts every occassion into a celebration! She speaks Hindi, English, Rajasthani and has self-learnt Sanskrit and Spanish too!
All in all, it’s been a challenging yet quite a rewarding journey. Unnathi is an embodiment of unconditional love and her positivity is absolutely contagious. Her resilience, her grit and her charm are exemplary. She is the sunshine in my world!
