DEEPAK SHARMA 

DEEPAK SHARMA 

A Mentor Father
To Underprivileged Children and Youth

“Deepak Sharma - A Caregiver at heart who found his wings with us”
I first met him and his wife in the autumn of 2009 through the Teach for India programme. I do not recall the date, but what I do remember vividly is the determination and enthusiasm I saw on his face. I could also see that he was here to stay, not just spend some time here.

The first time I met Mr. Deepak Sharma (now I call him papa), I was a little scared just like every other kid at Udayan Care. We were all uncertain and curious as to what kind of a person he will be? Will he be nice and kind or one of those strict kinds of persons who are stern and dominating?
To my surprise, he turned out to be the sweetest, kindest, most caring, and generous human being I have ever met.
One of his best traits worth mentioning here is that he never compared me to anyone else, which could have otherwise made me feel insecure, unsure, or inferior. He supported me throughout my academic journey and even taught me maths for my NIFT entrance exam. His efforts to fill the space of a father in my life are most commendable.
I have never been angry with papa excluding the experiences where he forced me into things, but I have also accepted that, as he only wanted the best for me and my career.
Many times I do not trust myself and feel lost. My papa is always there by my side and continuously encourages me that I can achieve whatever I desire with the highest commitment. I am ever so grateful for his selfless support without ever being judged and compared with anyone. He always looks into my problem as his own and comes out with the best solution every time for me.
I think he was the happiest when I first called him papa, and he was also really proud when I cracked the NIFT entrance exam. He was the first person with whom I shared my final jury success. I regularly write letters to him and celebrate his birthdays. He is not just my papa, but also a very close friend.
I can say with utmost confidence that my papa is my biggest strength for me. He is truly a shining light in my life. Right from my early days in Udayan Care, I had always dreamt to have a father in my life. I consider myself most lucky to find him as my father and I am most happy to be his loving daughter.
I would definitely like to thank you papa for believing, trusting, and loving me unconditionally, and guiding me to the right path from time to time.
I definitely feel that the world needs more people like my devoted papa
Wish and pray that you always remain by my side forever.
Love you a lot papa.

My life changed for the better since I first met him (Mr. Deepak Sharma), and thanks to God’s blessings, it is still going great now. He has and even now is playing a very important role in my life and of my sisters’ life.

He is like a father, who always takes care of me, my sisters and other children at Udayan Care. I have never felt alone since I have met him in August 2017. He has always been by my side and of the other children at Udayan Care.

I was living a very non-existential life in the years prior to our meeting, but now, thanks to his guidance, I am on the path to life of opportunities. He has always motivated me towards my goals.

I am really thankful to God and feel blessed to have such a wonderful person in my life.

Thank you, uncle ji.

Tushar

In 2013, I got to know that Mr. Deepak Sharma has joined Udayan Care as Director of the Jagshanti Home for Girls in Greater Noida. I also learnt that he has taken voluntary retirement from his corporate job to serve society. I was amazed to hear that someone could leave their well-settled life and start afresh in the development sector. It was very inspiring for me.
I met him a couple of times in the initial days, and after some months, I learnt that he had decided to not take any remuneration from Udayan Care, and devote all his time and energy for the cause, in whichever capacity required. I was simply awed by his selflessness and the urge to work for society.
It was much later, that I got to know that his father, a professor in Aligarh Muslim University, lost his life in an accident. That incident left a mark on his life, and he decided to work in the development sector. He is also associated with an NGO working to raise awareness about traffic rules and urge the public to follow them.
I have always been influenced by him, the way he has managed all aspects of his life. He especially made the effort to move to Greater Noida, so that he and his wife could be closer to the children at the Udayan Care Home where both of them serve as mentor parents. His family is also a huge source of inspiration for him. His wife, who is still working, supported his decision to shift home from Noida to Greater Noida, though it increased her travel time. His son has always been a pillar of support to him. After seeing them, I believe that his family has been his strength, and he has been able to devote all his time to those who needed it the most.
I would really like to mention here that although he has one son, he never forgets to mention that he has so many daughters, who are making him proud in different spheres of life. I always knew that he is an amazing person to work with, his experience and perspective in any matter is invaluable, and there is so much to learn from him. I look up to him in my personal life, too.
He was the first to connect with me after my father passed away, and empathised with me. He said that no one would replace this irreparable loss, but then life has to continue, and he would always stand by me as an elder brother. These words meant a lot to me, and his support has been invaluable.
Words fall short for me when I speak about him, but just to conclude, I would will just like to say that it has been an honour to know him and learn from him.

I work as an assistant manager at the Jagshanti Home in Greater Noida where Deepak Sharma serves as the mentor father. I call him sir and he has been my mentor, too, and it would be unfair on my part to not acknowledge the many good skills I learnt from him.
I remember the first time when he joined the Jagshanti Home at Greater Noida as the mentor father. He was a smart, energetic person from the corporate sector with excellent management skills.
He had some attitude issues, which was in a way positive, but could be misconstrued as being out of place, too especially in the social sector where one might have to deal directly and interact with children and young adults. I guess it was initially tough for him.
We too faced a bit of adjustment issues while initiating him into the social sector. The staff and the girl students were hesitant to speak to him as he was new to them. It took a while for all to settle down.
That said, he tried his level best to get accustomed to the new challenge. In fact, he coped up with the new challenges very smartly.
He began to understand the limitations and challenges of others and started guiding us. As for him, he brought lots of positive change in himself, and now everybody likes him, respects him, and adores him.
In fact, he comes across as a very emotional and kind-hearted person, and sometimes people use this strength of his for their own selfish reasons.
He also brought in a lot of positive changes at the Jagshanti home. The girls of Jagshanti home have now become so lively and have no hesitation in sharing their thoughts and opinions openly in any forum.
I would like to narrate one memorable incident I have of him. This was sometime in 2017, when I was caught with dengue and was hospitalised at Yatharth Hospital. My family members were away at that time and Deepak sir and Sunita ma’am (his wife) were with me all the time. They would visit me every day in hospital and check with the doctor about my well-being.
I have huge regards for Deepak Sir and Sunita ma’am.

Fathers, like mothers, are pillars in the development of a child’s emotional well-being. My other siblings and I at Udayan Care did not have parents, and it was this unfortunate fate that brought us all to Udayan Care.

Trust me though, it became the biggest blessing from the almighty for me and my 25 sisters who stayed at the Jagshanti Udayan Care Home.

Here, I first met Deepak uncle and Sunita aunty as our mentor parents. Previously, we had a retired Indian Army officer, Brigadier Binny Narang (Retd) as our mentor father. I was much attached to him as he was the first male person who came into my life after I lost my father at the age of five.

After he left (I called him Narang uncle), we were all a bit worried, whether we would have someone as nice, understanding and caring as him. Our prayers were answered in the form of Deepak uncle. Deepak uncle and Sunita aunty turned out to be true angels in our lives.

Uncle had worked in the corporate sector for about 31 years. It was his long-awaited dream to work for and with underserved children.

Uncle became our second parent. With his arrival in our lives, the entire atmosphere in the home turned extremely positive. Each sibling of mine started getting special attention on the basis of their needs and aspirations.

Uncle has ensured that all the children are healthy and safe, the teenagers are equipped with the skills and resources to succeed as adults and transmit basic cultural values. He offered us immense love, acceptance, appreciation, encouragement, and guidance. He provides the most intimate context for the nurturing and protection of my sisters as they develop their personalities and identities and also as they mature physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially.

Our mentor parent before the arrival of Deepak uncle was Narang uncle. He had been with us for more than 10 years. He had nurtured some of us from little ones to young individuals. Accepting another male person after Binny uncle as our mentor father was really tough for us emotionally and psychologically.

The little ones got along well with Deepak uncle, but it was hard-hitting for the elders, especially for me. I took the longest time to accept him as my mentor parent. But I am very pleased to say that he gave each one of us our own time to accept him in our lives. This is an extremely respectful attitude for me.

The best thing about him is that he has always been willing to support me no matter what path I decided to travel for my educational and professional development. In a world full of great people, I think I have been lucky to have him as my mentor parent. I admire, love and respect him a lot. Ever since he has come into my world, I know that he will never leave my side.

For my younger sisters, he has not just been a playful and fun figure in the family, but also a supportive and loving parent who serves the role of a life-long role model for them. Uncle remains an important source of love and care in their lives. He regularly teaches them and is highly involved in all their school activities and personal development.

My words won’t be able to express the amount of joy he brings in their lives. We share a bond of faith with him that even time can’t share.

Communication is a two-way process, and I believe, should, as a practice listen to their children, for it allows them to understand the concerns of the child and provide the right support they might need to navigate together as a family.

As parents and children are in two different life cycles, it is quite easy for parents to misunderstand the child and the child to misunderstand the parent. Many parents tend to be protective or have expectations of the child and maybe reactive to the child’s behaviour without first clarifying any doubts. It could seem that the parent is unreasonable, when in fact, that is not the case. Many a times, my sisters and I have misunderstood uncle’s real intentions that were actually meant for our own personal development, and because of this, we have misbehaved and even sulked later on. But I guess that is the story of every house.

It was both a matter of pride and joy when I was recently awarded the Chevening Scholarship – one of the world’s most prestigious scholarships. I travelled to London for further studies. This has undoubtedly been my biggest achievement in life.

Uncle has been a great support throughout the preparation of this scholarship. When I first told him about the results, he rejoiced. I could see the glitter and pride in his eyes. I thank Lord for allowing me to make him and my other mentor parents proud and happy.

Pooja