Rahul meets Kerala nurse who held him as a newborn
WAYANAD (Kerala): Rajamma Vavathil couldn’t control her happiness on meeting the Congress president Rahul Gandhi, whom she held in her hands as a newborn at a Delhi hospital. The 72-year-old retired nurse embraced the moment and came face to face with Gandhi after 49 years. Rahul hugged and held her hands when she came to see him with her family.
On June 19, 1970 Vavathil was on duty at Delhi’s Holy Family Hospital, when Rahul was born. In 1987 she returned to Kerala after taking Voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) from service.
Amidst his busy schedule, Gandhi, on a thanksgiving visit to Wayanad, which has sent him to Parliament this time with a massive victory margin of 4.31 lakh votes, spent some time with Vavathil’s family.The Congress chief also got some photographs clicked with few party workers and their kin.
As a trainee nurse, Vavathil had taken care of Gandhi at Delhi’s Holy Family Hospital after his birth on June 19, 1970. The Congress chief also greeted Vavathil’s family members, including her husband and grandchildren, who waited for hours to meet him.
Gandhi paid full attention when Vavathil talked about witnessing his birth and taking him in her hands as a newborn. Rahul promised to meet her again.”I am really happy and excited. “I was lucky as I was the first among the few who took the newborn in their hands. He was so cute. I was thrilled…we all were thrilled to see the grandson of (then) prime minister Indira Gandhi,” Vavathil had said.
His father Rajiv Gandhi and uncle Sanjay Gandhi were waiting outside the labour room of the hospital when his mother Sonia Gandhi was taken for delivery, she recalled.Vavathil told reporters.
Since Friday, Rahul Gandhi has been holding several roadshows in Wayanad. The visit is spread over three districts in northern Kerala, parts of which form the parliamentary constituency of Wayanad.
Rahul Gandhi contested from a second constituency for the first time in the seven-phase national election. He lost his traditional Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh to the BJP’s Smriti Irani. But Mr Gandhi managed to win from Wayanad by a huge margin, of over 4.31 lakh votes, beating his nearest rival from the Left.(With pti Inputs).
