Apoorva Khatri, a tale of hope and determination

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 25

Love, hope and the resolve to confront circumstances head-on — that’s the inspiring story of Apoorva Khatri and her mother Latika.

Apoorva was in Class V when she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy – a condition that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. Thereafter began a struggle not just for her, but also for her family, particularly her mother.

Capturing her experiences of bringing up her daughter in a book “Where Hope Lives: Have Wings Will Fly”, Latika sends across a message of hope to parents with special children.

Describing her journey, Latika reveals how her love for her daughter saw her neglect everyone else in the family, including her elder son Aman.

Latika recalls the day when the doctor broke the news to her. “My world came down crashing. He advised me to admit Apoorva to a school for special children as she wouldn’t be able to study beyond Class VIII. I felt so helpless. But that very moment, I decided to fight this battle.”

Apoorva realised early that she was different from other children, who would make fun of her. “I had no friends in school. So I’d have lunch with Nalini ma’am, who was very understanding,” says Apoorva, who recently completed masters in Sociology from MCM DAV College. She has even launched her own start-up.