10 years after Orissa super cyclone, orphans carry hope in the breeze

By Byomakesh Biswal, Bhubaneswar, Oct 31: Five-year-old Pankajini Ho was old enough to understand the devastation caused by the super cyclone in 1999 that killed about 10,000 and left her an orphan. Ten years later she is mature enough to forget -- and pick up the pieces with the hope of helping those around her.

After being rescued, she was rehabilitated in the Yashoda Sadan orphanage at Cuttack, one of the many orphanages being run in the state.

The orphanage was started by a voluntary organisation 10 years back with 20 orphans rescued from the Bhubaneswar railway station, while they were being taken illegally to Kerala.

Later many orphans rescued during relief operations were handed over to the Yashoda Sadan orphanage, whose strength has now grown to 60. Majority of the inhabitants in the orphanage are cyclone orphans, many of whom were later sent to their relatives.

"These orphans were rescued from cyclone hit areas. They are being given proper education so that they can stand on their feet. The orphanage runs on donations and we ensure that money does not stand as a hurdle in the way of their career," said Sangram Keshari Patra, secretary of Yashoda Sadan.

The memories of the past have now begun to fade as Pankajini has accepted the orphanage as her home.

"I was told I lost everyone in my family. I have already forgotten the event. I have now got a new family in the orphanage," she told IANS.

With the past behind her, Pankajini has begun to pick up the pieces of her life.

Having done well in her Class 10 exams, she has managed to secure a seat in the science stream in Orissa's prestigious Ravenshaw College and aspires to become a doctor and serve the society.

"I want to be a doctor so that I can serve people of my district. Having got admission in a reputed science college I am confident that I will achieve my goal," she added.

Like Pankajini, another girl Sunanda, who was rescued from cyclone hit Jagatsinghpur district, is studying in college and aspires to a bureaucrat.

"I want to be a civil servant. I would love to work in the district where I was born. There is no trace of my parents since the cyclone struck. Who knows, I might come across my parents while working there," said Sunanda, another inmate of Yashoda Sadan.

The cyclone that struck 14 coastal districts of the state Oct 29-31, 1999 touched a wind speed of nearly 300 km per hour destroying 300,000 homes and according to estimates of voluntary organisations, leaving nearly 2,000 children orphaned.