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A STITCH IN TIME BY GOOD SAMARITAN DOCTOR PRASAD SUREDDI
SAVES STUDENT’S THUMB

By Amishi Shah

Bhavana Varala came to Waterbury from Hyderabad, India, in August 2008 with her bags packed with winter clothes, photographs of family members and friends and excitement at starting a new phase of her life as a student in Connecticut.

Varala is working on her master’s degree in computer science at the Sacred Heart University in Waterbury. Little did she know then that she would need courage in plenty in the first few months of her arrival in the country.

“While chopping a green bell pepper, I accidentally cut my thumb on the left hand,” said Varala. It was not a routine cut that could be healed with a band-aid. Her problem was temporarily solved when a doctor at the Emergency Room in a local hospital put in place four stitches on her wound and tied-up her thumb with bandages for support. The doctor insisted that she undergo micro-surgery because of the deep cut, which would have cost her $10,000. “My classes were yet to begin and so I didn’t have any health insurance yet,” said Varala.

She had intense pain even several days after the incident. At the suggestion of a friend, Varala, a Telugu, contacted Ayyavaru Sivalenka, secretary of the Telugu Association of Connecticut and a software engineer by profession. He understood the gravity of the situation and got in touch with Dr. Prasad Sureddi, a plastic surgeon at the Waterbury Hospital.

Sureddi gave her an appointment the very next day. “I didn’t know the seriousness of the situation until I saw her. I was hoping that she would not have cut the palm-side of her thumb as that part is more sensitive,”he explained.When he saw the cut, he knew it was serious. Besides, Varala was still in excruciating pain and was anxious to be in a new country and a new environment.

“The thought of no insurance and the cost of a surgery had not entered my mind at all when I saw the wound,” said Sureddi. That very week, Varala was in the operating room at the Naugatuck Valley Surgical Center, one of the 14 hospitals where Sureddi works. Varala didn’t have to pay a dime for the procedure, which was assisted by Dr. Raj Mangla, an anesthesiologist and Dr. Bill Turly, chief of anesthesia.
 
“We were able to write off all the costs for the surgery. The hospital didn’t charge a penny,” said Sureddi. During the operation,the doctors saw that Varala had cut two nerves and an artery while chopping vegetables. Despite the extent of the damage,Varala responded well to the surgery and was released from the hospital that very day.

Sureddi’s generosity didn’t end with the operation. He arranged for Varala’s rehabilitation and physiotherapy as well. She was not charged for that either. “Waterbury’s physical therapy rehab center ACCESS provided free care. It was not entirely unusual to have not charged Bhavana as we do provide services to local people also who are unable to pay,” said Sureddi.

Varala is all praise for Sureddi,Sivalenka and his wife Madhavi. “At one point, I thought of going back to India even though I have told nothing to my parents about this till date.Sivalenka,his wife and others from the Telugu Association (Shantisri Vutukuru and Haritha Machineni) were really helpful as they drove me everyday for physical therapy and got me back home also,” said Varala. Another member, Sreekanth Nelakudeti, was at the hospital during the surgery.

Sureddi said that growing up, his family lived in various places across India.“I remember that our home was always open to anyone who was from our hometown,” recalled Sureddi. Surely,kindness runs in the family.


Amishi Shah is a frequent contributor to CT Indian Life.

Anjaneya’s Allure

By Sujata Srinivasan

Roger N. Buckley is a professor of history at the University of Connecticut and the author of ‘I, Hanuman,’ a historic novel based on the real life story of an Indian soldier who rebelled against British occupation in 1857. Buckley learned of Hanuman early on from his mother, who is of Indian origin, and later through his own research. Here in a freewheeling interview with Sujata Srinivasan,he talks about his fascination with the popular Hindu God and why he believes Hanuman, whose jayanti (birthday) falls on April 9th, is both universal and timeless.

Why do you find Hanuman so fascinating?
First of all, everyone loves monkeys.They are naughty and resourceful.And Hanuman’s qualities are magical devotion, loyalty, resourcefulness, relentlessness, invincibility and courage as depicted in the Ramayana. I was struck by the extraordinary story of how he once had to bring a healing herb from a mountain and he could not recognize it, so he carried the whole mountain. Who cannot admire these qualities?

I, Hanuman’, based on the real life story of Bedasee Singh in the 19th century, is a fascinating narrative about an Indian patriot who dresses up as Hanuman and attacks the British on horseback. What qualities of the Hindu god does your protagonist represent?
‘I, Hanuman’ is a retelling of the Ramayana in the context of 1857. I have read letters, which are eyewitness accounts of what Bedasee Singh did in the battle. There are four eyewitnesses who saw his exploits. Singh’s whole body was encased head to toe as Hanuman. He had taken on the persona of Hanuman – loyalty and devotion to India, resourcefulness, and of course self-sacrifice.

Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Hindu political party Vishwa Hindu Parishad in India, is named after Bajrang, another name for Hanuman.The right-wing Shri Ram Sena (lord Ram’s army, which consists of Hanuman) adopts this deity as its symbol. Why is Hanuman so fascinating to people who rebel against, (in their opinion), the negative influence of foreigners and foreign culture on Hindu society?
In the Ramayana, Hanuman seeks to protect and bring back Sita to lord Rama. Sita is India, and Hanuman is rescuing her from a foreign demon, Ravana. And in the execution of protecting Sita, who is Mother India, he is loyal, undaunted, creative,and powerful. Who wouldn’t want to adopt him as their symbol? That is why he is so appealing to these groups he is the proctor of the motherland.

In what way would you say Hanuman is both universal and timeless?
Good versus evil, the known versus the unknown, the known versus aliens. In the Ramayana, Hanuman overcomes obstacles such as great distances and so forth. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they need the qualities of lord Hanuman.When we have obstacles to overcome,we draw upon this idea of Hanuman.And when we overcome these obstacles, aren’t we like Hanuman?

Can you think of a similar figure in Western mythology, whose influence is as strong in contemporary society?
I think in some ways Hanuman is like Super Man but with much more depth. Sometimes when we get down and pessimistic we need someone to come and be our defender. Hanuman may even be like King Arthur – this nobleman of high ideals who protects his people from foreign invasion. Arthur protected England from the invasion of the Saxons. All cultures need a super hero they can draw upon from their community or from themselves when they try to overcome obstacles.We are not by ourselves Super Man,but we need at times to make a super human effort. This is what Hanuman embodies.

On a personal front, how do you relate to Hanuman as a popular Hindu god?
I have a small puja area in my house; all my friends who visit India bring me a statue of Hanuman – I have eight of these statues. I turn to this shrine over my fireplace when I need inspiration, or when I have to deal with illnesses and the death of a loved one.


Sujata Srinivasan is the editor of CT Indian Life.