Gautam Gambhir\'s heartfelt gesture to perform last rites of his domestic help is winning hearts



Gautam Gambhir's heartfelt gesture to perform last rites of his domestic help is winning hearts

The 49-year-old used to stay at her parental home in Kusunpur after she was abandoned by her husband just a couple of years after their marriage.


Saraswati Patra, Gautam Gambhir

Former Team India cricketer Gautam Gambhir performed the last rites of his domestic help from Jajpur during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown couple of days back.

Saraswati Patra, who lost out her battle against diabetes and blood pressure, was operating as a domestic help at Gambhir’s residence in New Delhi for the past seven years.

“My sister had gone to New Delhi to attend a seminar as a delegate in 2013. During her stay there, she met an Odia woman who was close to Gambhir."

"She took my sister to the cricketer who engaged her as his domestic help,” Saraswati’s brother Prafulla Patra said.

The 49-year-old used to stay at her parental home in Kusunpur after she was abandoned by her husband just a couple of years after their marriage.

Saraswati also did voluntary work for a human rights organisation in Jajpur too. 

The BJP MP had contacted Saraswati's family while she was admitted at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi.

“Gambhir contacted us when my sister fell ill on April 14. He also telephoned us when my sister succumbed at the hospital,” Prafulla said.

“As shifting of the body to Odisha from New Delhi was not possible due to the lockdown, we requested him to conduct her last rites there,” he added.

Gambhir, in a tweet, said Saraswati was a part of his family and wrote: “Taking care of my little one can never be domestic help. She was family. Performing her last rites was my duty." 

"Always believed in dignity irrespective of caste, creed, religion or social status. Only way to create a better society. That’s my idea of India! Om Shanti."

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Gambhir's heartwarming gesture received a lot of attention as fans lauded the former opener's act of kindness.