DARK SKY, BRIGHT STARS

Vicky is a 4 – year old playful kid from a small town in Bihar who lost his father to the deadly Maoist attack in SukmaChattisgarhin 2016. Vicky was too young to know about death then, but slowly he understands that his father will not come back home.

We meet him at his maternal grandparents’ home where he lives with his mother. He was busy playing around the house, but his mother convinces him to sit with us for a while. But as is natural in his age, a toy soon distracts him and we lose him to his play world.

“The news came as a big shock to us, Vicky was only 2 years only and we couldn’t imagine how he will grow up without a parent”, his grandfather laments looking over at Vicky who is lost in his world of toys. The family decided that instead of telling Vicky that his father is no more they would raise him by telling stories about his father. These stories, Vicky’s mother believes, will shape her son into becoming a good person and inspire him towards working for the good of the nation.

He recently started going to school and so far he likes it. According to his grandfather, the Government school he goes to is not up to the mark but he is also too young to be sent to the private school in the next town, 15 – 20 kilometres away.

The family is focused on building a good future for Vicky, and since they are well educated academic excellence is important for them. Money is an issue so far as the main earning member has been lost. The monthly pension hasn’t started and the family is making do with the lump sum the Government gave them two years ago.

“Life after my husband has been hard, but it will be harder for Vicky to grow up without knowing the love of a father”, his mother says with a sigh. “But I it is my focus now to raise him to become a good man who will make his father’s name proud”, she concludes with a smile.

With a family that is focused on Vicky’s future he is surely going to shine bright.