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