In an age where social media often draws flak for its superficiality, a quiet miracle unfolded in a WhatsApp group chat that transcended emojis and banter. A visually impaired girl named Ayushi, a student in JNU, needed a laptop.
What followed was a heartwarming cascade of generosity and coordination, led by a handful of compassionate classmates from the 1982-84 MA batch of the JNU alumni group from the School of International Studies.
The story began when Vikram Simha Rao, a former director at the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, posted a brief update:
"Ayushi, a (visually challenged) student, urgently required a laptop to continue her studies. The cost? ₹51,000." No crowdfunding platforms, no appeals on social media timelines. Just a message in a WhatsApp group, mostly filled with senior professionals, civil servants, academics, and policy veterans.
Setting the ball in motion
Within minutes, responses began trickling in.
"I purchased a laptop recently...it should be between ₹40-45k. I'll check specs and get back," Dr. Rao informed the group, taking it upon himself to source the machine. He shared details of a Dell Vostro laptop—Core i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD—and even offered to oversee delivery. Soon messages from other members of the WhatsApp group poured in from Shillong to Dubai.
Professor Amitabh Mattoo, a known academic and policy advisor, swiftly responded: "Vikram, Nandita, Venkat and I will cover this one. My ₹10k was the initial token." Coordination happened not in formal conference rooms but in the fluid, organic banter of the chat—jokes, literary quotes, even a playful reference to a "Track 2" diplomatic meeting.
"Wonder of wonders—Amma's cook knows how to use a QR code!" wrote Nandita, based in the UAE, as she arranged her share of the transfer. By now, contributors from around the group members had pooled in ₹34,000. The remaining ₹17,000? Dr. Rao quietly paid it himself so the laptop could be delivered the same day.
"I am still at the shop," he messaged. "Let me just pay now. You can send the amount later."
This was not charity. This was dignity in action.
The laptop was delivered directly to Ayushi the same day. No ceremony. No selfie moment. Just a simple commitment honoured.
Rao, whose post-retirement years are dedicated to writing on disability rights and inclusion, summed it up with typical modesty: "I am collecting the item. Will hand over to Ayushi personally. Will update."
As promised, he did.
This wasn't a government scheme or corporate CSR project. It was a mosaic of spontaneous human kindness. In the middle of threads discussing literary quotes, military tensions, and forwarded news links, a moment of pure empathy took shape—a real-time response to a real-life need.
Tangible Change
In a world drowning in digital noise, sometimes all it takes is one message and a few good hearts to turn a virtual group into a force for tangible change.
Aayushi now has a laptop—and, perhaps more importantly, a reminder that she is not navigating her challenges alone.
