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Koraput: At a time when he should be spending time playing with his friends, a 10-year-old boy in Odisha is shouldering the responsibility of his mother who is visually challenged. From completing daily chores to looking after other basic needs, Laba Padal of Bandapada in Koraput has dedicated himself to taking care of his mother.
Laba, who is no less than modern-day Shravan Kumar, is trying his best to give all the love and affection to his mother as he is the only person whom she can rely upon.
Life so far has been harsh for this 10-year-old boy who lost his father at an early phase of his life. After the death of her husband, the responsibility of the entire family fell on the shoulders of Dalimba, Laba’s mother. However, Dalimba lost her vision after she fell sick some three years back.
Since then, Laba has been shouldering the responsibility of his mother by skipping his classes in school. Local residents say that Laba is a meritorious student but he is forced to skip classes as bulk of his time is spent looking after his mother.
“I am doing every work as my mother is unable to see. I am unable to go to school as I have to look after my mother,” said Laba.
From cleaning the house to collecting firewood from forest, Laba works tirelessly round the clock to ensure that his mother doesn’t face problems.
“From cooking to cleaning, he (Laba) has been doing everything,” said Dalimba.
Laba’s teacher Parameshwar Sahu said, “Laba is a meritorious student and due to the health condition of his mother, he fails to come to the school regularly. Though it pains us to see the struggle of the boy, we can't do anything apart from praying to God for him.”
Though Dalimba receives some financial assistance from the government in the form of some pension, it is hardly enough to meet the expenses for the treatment of her eyes.
“The condition of the poor boy and his mother can improve if the administration provides some assistance,” said Mukund Padal, a local resident.
