In what came as a timely royal intervention, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has stepped in to help a 15-year old Indian student who needs life-saving kidney transplant. A Dubai College student, Pritvik Sinha was battling long-term renal failure and his condition had worsened on May 31 at a time when his father, who is the only potential donor, was stranded in Doha, Qatar due to coronavirus travel restrictions. Hearing about the plight of the boy, who is the only son of Bhaskar Sinha and Indira Dharchaudhuri, Sheikh Mohammed personallly wrote to Prithvik and assured him that he is in "safe hands." "To my dear Pritvik, this is a small gesture from me to you to remind you that you are at home here and that you are in safe hands and that I will pray to God to keep you in good health and safe . keep smiling little warrior. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum," read the letter that was delivered along with flowers and an iPad to Prithvi from the Prime Minister's office on Tuesday evening. "I have no words to thank His Highness. We have only heard and read about these things. To see it happening to my own son, it gave me goosebumps," Prithvik's mother Indira told Khaleej Times. She said the family was going through a "nightmare" as they were reeling under financial difficulties and Prithvik was "very, very sick." "We were losing Prithvik and my husband was stuck abroad. We tried everything possible to fly him back to UAE as he is the only donor. Doctors kept saying they can't wait any longer. I have never felt so helpless," said Indira. Making matters worse was the financial constraints on the family as Bhaskar had quit his job in the oil sector and Indira's consultancy firm was out of business. "We did not have any resources to meet the medical expenses." Indira said Bhaskar flew back to UAE on Tuesday thanks to the intervention of Prithvi's friend Lily, her father Samual Burnett, the Dubai school Principal and Dubai Airport authorities who were kind enough to accommodate their request. Also, Al Jalila Foundation has come to the aid and assured the family that all medical expenses of Prithvik will be taken care of. "I am speechless and touched by the magnanimity shown by His Highness. I want to thank him from the core of my heart. I have come to know that he has been a pillar of support throughout my health crisis, which is an absolute honour," said Prithvik who is a World Science Scholar and recognized as one of world's 75 exceptional mathematicians under the age of 18. "Once I get my kidney transplant done, this new lease of life would help me continue to be a significant part of the UAE's rise to its leadership role in the field of science, mathematics, and technology, perhaps to further the UAE's space program, which is my dream, and fund new particle accelerators for quantum research, which is my ultimate aim in life," said an elated Prithvik. Prithvik already underwent two surgeries early this month, and is currently awaiting donor match from his father for kidney transplantation, said his mother.
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