source: kantipuronline.com

DHARAN, March 12 - Despite the death of their mother, two children of Dharan Municipality-17 have been fortunate enough to find a foster mother, who by all accounts, will prove to be an equally competent guardian. Although 14-year-old Santosh and his 11-year-old sister Kalpana lost their mother to encephalitis on February 22, kind-hearted Hira Pradhan, a nurse working at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Science (BPKIHS) here in Dharan, has taken the responsibility of bringing up the two children.

"As they were facing difficulties after their mother’s untimely demise I have decided to bring them up, especially as I could not suppress my sense of humanity and feeling of love towards the innocent children," said Pradhan, who is also in-charge of the tropical ward here.Since she began her profession 31 years ago, the 55-year-old unmarried nurse of Dharan-9 Mayurpath has served in different government hospitals, besides her present employment at the BPKIHS.

"Her exemplary deed has been able to reduce my pain," said Gajendra Rai, father of the children, who is also in a critical condition here at BPKIHS, with the same disease.

Also known as "benevolent sister", Pradhan had earlier brought up two boys and a girl of a single family of Chatara in Bayarban.