Sridhar Heggodu needs your help

Sridhar N. Shanubhag, popularly known as Sridhar Heggodu, met with a freak road accident in April, 2006. He was treated at KMC, Manipal; life was saved but the spinal cord couldn’t be rejuvenated. Sridhar, once the nerve centre of NINASAM, Heggodu, is paralysed down the neck. The young man who showed every glimpses of an extra-ordinary future is lying immobile.

Sridhar has undergone all kinds of treatments that are currently available, suffering the worst kind of physical, mental and emotional trauma. Sridhar's family and well wishers have spent more than Rs. 4 lakhs. Now a new ray of hope, Stem Cell Therapy, has emerged for the damaged spinal cords. After one sitting, in October, Sridhar’s limbs are now showing some movements. As per Doctors’ advice he needs one more visit in March. Hopefully, by the end of the therapy Sridhar will be able to stand on his feet, make some hand gestures, turn his neck and most importantly, will be able to live without extreme dependence.

But the Stem Cell Therapy is highly expensive. At present it is available only in Chennai. It is a package treatment and one visit costs Rs. 2,00,000/-. Sridhar's family is exhausted of all possible financial means and has reached a financial dead end. They have got assurances from few people for financial help to the tune of Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000. We have set a target of Rs 100,000 by March 10, 2008.

Update
Status as on March 07, 2008
Total amount needed : Rs 100,000/-
Amount collected : Rs 94,000 +
Amount assured, but not yet collected : Rs 6,000
Deadline met!!

Sridhar needs help. Will you? Please note that there are no 'minimum' limitations on contributions. You may have to let go just one weekend movie, a buffet or an ice-cream. Even your small contribution has the potential to bring a big positive difference in the life of an extremely talented Sridhar.

Please get in touch with us if you wish to contribute. Please send a request to - aasthe-subscribe@yahoogroups.com if you wish to be a part of our group.

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Lettr from Sri K. V. Akshara, Director, NINASAM


A brief bio-data of Sridhar :-

An Actor, director and Participated in - NINASAM Theatre Institute (1996-97), NINASAM Thirugata Repertory.
Music Instructor and Performer at NINASAM Theatre Institute, Heggodu, since 2002.
Author
-- Four short stories in Kannada.
-- Poems in Kannada.
-- Translated Anton Chekhov’s play The Seagull into Kannada, 2001-2002.
-- Translated Anton Chekhov’s one act play Anniversary into Kannada, 2003-2004.
Active in
-- CHILIPILI : A kindergarten, founded in 2002, where theatre is an important teaching aid.
-- Kiruthirugata : A very small, fledgling touring theatre on shoe-string budget.\

Update

We have utilized the left over amount from Gururaj's operation for the following causes :-

1) Donated Rs 10,000/- towards the operation of a 7th std. girl, quite brillant, who is more than 50% visually handicapped. An accident took place when the girl attended a free eye camp. Now she is being treated by a specialist recommended by the Principal of her school.

Referred by Mrs Veena Shivanna of Wiprocare and undertaken by Anita Khan.

2) Donated Rs 15,000/- towards the operation of Mangala. Details in the previous post.

Reference - Lokesh HC. Lokesh took the complete responsiblity from the day of admitting the Patient till the day of Discharge.

3) Contributed Rs 3,500/- towards the school fee of two economically backward students (Mother Thereasa School,Siddagunte Palya, CV Raman Nagar).

These student's mom works as "house Keeping" in a software company. The lady was not able to pay the fee for these kids from past 1 year as her husband lost the job and the Head Mistress on a special request had allowed the kids to study and pay the fee later. Hence we decided to pay a partial amount. We are hoping that the father will be able to get a job and the family will be able to pay the rest of the fee in before the completion of the course.

Referred by my sister. Santhosh personally went to the school on a Saturday, talked to the headmistress and paid the school fee.

Note :- We tried to refer Gururaj to 'Unnati' a NGO which offers vocational courses for unskilled, semi-educated people. However Gururaj preferred auto-driving and we respected his personal decision. He is now learning auto-rikshaw driving and is confident that he will get an auto-rikshaw sanctioned by government.