Day 77 - Would you stand by me?

Ruchika Girhotra's case has hogged the limelight for some time now and rightly so. Abuse of power was always a known thing in India but this case brought to light the horror that a family has to endure when they rub someone in power the wrong way. From the girl giving up her life to a continuous harassment spanning more than 19 years the plight of the Girhotra family sends shivers down my spine.

NDTV recently did their 'Indian of the Year' award and one of the recipients was Aradhana Gupta as an 'Extraordinary Indian'. If you are searching for an example of a perfect friend then I think you don't need to look any further. Here is a lady who has stood by her friendship for over two decades and fought for justice for her friend. For 19 years people.

Go back 19 years in your life and see if you had a 'good' friend at that time. Are you in touch with that friend? Do you still talk to each other? Would you run to his or her defence if they were in trouble? Would you lend them money or welcome them to your house? Answer these questions from two perspectives - if you have had a long distance friendship with that person sporadically for 19 years and if you have never seen that person for 19 years but you were best friends all that while back. Can you do that exercise?

And now we realise the extraordinary strength, resolve and commitment that Aradhana Prakash nee Gupta has shown for her friend Ruchika Girhotra. And have no doubts that she is extraordinary.

As normal human beings we tend to forget promises that we make to living people a few years back. Keeping promises over decades and lifetimes are only the stuff of movies. After all the movie gets over in 3 hours and neither are we shown the struggles nor do the actors have to endure it. But Aradhana did....for 19 years she carried - and still carries - the flame of her friendship and commitment to Ruchika. Across marriage, across continents, across time she has fought for justice for her friend. How many of us will actually stand by a friend who doesn't exist anymore? It is so much easier to give up the fight and call it someone else's rather than continue on that path. There must have been countless times when Aradhana must have thought that its easier to continue her life without thinking about what happened to Ruchika or fighting for her - when she got married and started a new life or when she went to a new country or when she had a baby but she did not and therein lies her extra-ordinariness. Remember she was not in the spotlight all this while. She did not expect it, she did not ask for it, she only fought for her friend.

Its natural for the flame of a fight or passion for justice to die away in a few years especially when the visual of your broken friend is not in front of you - its just her picture. But Aradhana's did not. What kept her motivated? What kept her focussed on her goal? I guess the answer only she knows.

If Ruchika ever asked Aradhana the question during her tough times - Will you stand by me? - I think the answer is for the whole to India to see now. For that my salute and humble bow goes more to Aradhana than to Ruchika in this case.

Friendships should have a new benchmark now. Do you have a 'Aradhana' in your circle of friends?