SURAT: The pandemic has been a bad news all around, but even amid the disparaging scene many have seen a ray of hope to continue fighting the gloom and live through it.
Pandemic came into this family’s life much earlier than the virulent strike — it came as Meet alais Nishith, their first born’s death, in the fire that snuffed 22 lives in Takshashila Arcade on May 24, 2019.
Life came to a halt for Dilip Sanghani, 42, a garment businessman and his wife Chandan, 41.
But, they went on living — seeking justice for their 17-year-old son and so many other young lives lost on that fateful day.
But fate had its own surprise plans too.
While recovering from the loss, the duo went for surrogacy while planning for another child and two years later became parents to another son in August 2020.
For the first time, nine-month-old Meet, named after his elder brother, was taken out from his home for the first time for a long trip to his native village to offer the traditional first prayer to the family’s deity in Jamnagar district.
“We came to our native place with my son for the first time.
We went to our family’s deity to pray for the wellbeing of all of us,” said Dilip, adding that everybody the family calls their son by the name of the elder son, out of love.
“Meet was our only son and considering the wishes of our family members, we planned for a second child,” Sanghani added.
“We go to Takshashila Arcade every year.
This year, our son accompanied us to pay homage to his brother and all those who died that day,” said Meet’s mother, adding that they prayed that no such calamity befalls anyone ever again.
Deceased Meet was a Class XII science student preparing for admission in interior design course and had joined the coaching class on the fourth floor of the building.
An offence of death due to negligence and other sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered and police have arrested 14 accused till now including government officers and developers of the building.