4th October, 2002// (1/2)

It is almost, 7 to 8 months that I am working with Riya and Devansh, sometimes on rotating shifts, so we even have to work till late night. Those days is India, the technology of mobile newly ushered, and not everyone possessed it. In the hospital we still were connected through telephone network.

Just then Dr Seema arrives at our ward and affirms the news, ''Devansh has met with an accident yesterday, while he was way back home on his bike. He has severe leg injury and multiple fractures. His distant relative informed me, and he won't be able to make it for next two months. But due to dearth of doctors, I don't want any deficiency in the treatment provided to the patients''. Saying this, Dr Seema left the ward.

Me and Riya are in disbelief, staring each other is shock, the first thing that comes to our minds was, how is Devansh? what is he upto now? hope he is not very serious!! We both decide to go and see Devansh after the shift. The shift ends at 7.30 PM. The hospital in which Devansh is admitted is within the city, but away from our Institute. We leave from the hospital, and take a cab to the hospital, within next 50 minutes we reach our destination.

We rush in anxiety, to see Devansh. At the reception counter we ask for the details, and head for the ward. We see some aged people outside his ward, possibly parents and relatives, bit tensed. We greet them and see his dad, the jolly wrinkled face bathed in tension, fingers intertwined in each other showed the unrest in him. Riya proceeds, ''Uncle, we are Devansh's friends from his college, at the internship ward. How is Devansh now?'' His father is happy on seeing us and says,''He is out of danger, doctors recommend complete rest for the next two or three months.'' We both are relieved on hearing this. I ask uncle, '' Can we just go and see him for few minutes?'' ''Ohh, surely , you both can, atleast he will be distracted from the pain for some time, plus happy that you both turned up!''

I push open the ward door, and let Riya go in first. Devansh is there lying on the bed, with leg bandaged and held up in a suspension sling. He is awake, and smiles at us, in full gusto, exactly the way he is in the Internship Ward. We share a few pleasantries, and ask him how it happened, he then tells, ''On my way home that night, I was riding my bike at the speed of 30 to 40 kmph, on the highway connecting my area. Just then the SUV, passed at the lightning speed parallely, at almost no distance, and I fell down. And I woke up here last evening. Thank God there were no injuries, on my head due to helmet, but only multiple leg fractures.''

We are grief-stricken on hearing the accident, and wish him to get well soon. We leave the ward, and have a short quick conversation with his parents, and leave the place. It's almost 9.45 PM, when we are outside the hospital. I say, ''Riya it's almost late, for me to leave you alone, why don't you join me and my maa for the dinner, at my place.'' Riya first hesitates and then agrees.

Riya Sehgal, lives in the city with her friends, at the Institute's hostel. She hails from Bangalore, (though Punjabi) where her parents, and her younger sister live. She shifted Bangalore, when she was eight years old , and her dad being IAS officer, had transfers throughout the country. That's how much I knew her, during our breaks!