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Cresting the waves

In March 2011, little Vinayak was thrown off a bridge into the Mutha by his mother’s killer. Miraculously, he survived. Life since has taken an upswing for him, with The Bishop’s School offering him full freeship as a boarder

Tanaji Khot

Posted On Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 04:02:15 PM

Surrounded by new friends he met barely an hour ago in his new home — the Bishop School’s dormitory — Vinayak hardly looks like the befuddled six-year-old who walked into principal Frank Freese’s office and refused the sweets he was offered.

Mahendra Kohle

The classmates who will share it with him

That he took them from his classmates a short while later gives one an inkling into the little fellow’s ability to get on top of strange situations. On March 10 last year, his mother’s lover threw him off a 30-foot-high bridge spanning the Mutha after stabbing her to death.

Principal Freese with Vinayak in
his office, and Vinayak takes in his
new dormitory

The strong current buffetted Vinayak, then just five, but didn’t smash him against the rocks.

Instead, he was spotted by Shankar and Mangal Ubhe — a farmer couple who fished him out and nursed him through the night before informing the Paud police station.

From there, he was sent to the Zilla Parishad-run observation home for boys at Shivajinagar, till he was offered a full freeship through the Child Welfare Committee till Class XII by Bishop’s School, as a boarder.

On Friday, Vinayak bade his observation home co-inmates goodbye as he left with child rights activist Dr Yamini Adbe for Bishop School.

There, he was welcomed by Freese who tried to put the child at ease but was told by Vinayak that he didn’t want to stay.

It was only when the principal assured him that his observation home friends could visit him did Vinayak agree. The ice was finally broken when Freese introduced him to his fellow boarders — all Class I students like him.

“As Vinayak is yet to begin his education, he can easily adjust himself to our school. We are very happy to admit him and will extend full freeship for the duration of his education up to Class XII, which includes lodging, boarding, uniforms and books. We will also meet all expenses for his growing years,” Freese said.

The future is wide open.

► As Vinayak is just starting his education, we are sure he will be able to adjust to our school in a short time. We will be paying all his expenses including boarding, lodging, books and so on

- Frank Freese Principal, The Bishop’s School

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