From widowhood to security guard at Cuttack hospital! Odisha woman’s battle for injured son

What can a mother not do for her child? In a tale of grit, loss, and unbreakable love, Mamata Panda from Betara village in Ganjam district has redefined motherhood.

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After losing her husband in a tragic train accident in 2014, Mamata moved to Bhubaneswar with her little son Babulu Panda, determined to educate him and rebuild their lives. She admitted him to a government school and took up small jobs to sustain the household.

But fate struck again in 2022, when Babulu, while trying to heat food, suffered a devastating stove explosion that left him severely burned. With limited resources and no financial support, Mamata did the unthinkable — she became a security guard at SCB Medical College & Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack, where her son was undergoing treatment.

For four long years, she guarded the hospital during shifts and guarded her son’s life during the rest. Multiple surgeries, sleepless nights, emotional and financial struggles — she endured it all with one mission: to see Babulu healed.

These days, Babulu is recovering and staying with his grandmother in the village, holding on to his dreams despite physical pain. He continues to write his name in school notebooks, believing one day he will grow up and make his mother proud.

Mamata, still working at SCB, says she will never stop until her son is fully healthy. Her story is not just about hardship — it's about hope, resilience, and the invincible strength of a mother’s love.

“Initially, I had been working as a daily-wager in the hospital. However, I was subsequently given the job of a security guard in the health facility. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Sir. I do not want anything for myself, but get my son cured. My son will come here again for treatment in January,” the young woman said to OTV with tears in her eyes.