THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : His infectious smile and positive outlook give little inkling of the long and tiring hours the 18-year-old puts in every day to take care of his autistic brother and ailing mother. Nikhil Vinod Chandra was just nine when he lost his father. The family faced continuous setbacks since then, but they only strengthened the teen’s resolve.
A student of St Thomas Higher Secondary School, Mukkolakkal, in Thiruvananthapuram, Nikhil’s story was known only to a few close friends. Even his teachers had no idea that their student has been his family’s pillar of strength from an early age. It was during a chat show recorded on the school campus that Nikhil casually opened up about the trials and tribulations in his life. The video went viral.
“In 2010, Nikhil’s younger brother Nathan was diagnosed with autism. At the time, we were settled in Dubai. Nikhil, Nathan and I moved to Kerala while my husband Vinod Nair, a logistics manager, continued in Dubai. However, Vinod’s death five years later following a cardiac arrest shattered our world,” said Sheeba John, Nikhil’s mother.
Vinod and Sheeba’s families had been against their inter-faith marriage. With them extending no help, Sheeba managed the household with her job as the distributor of a medical grade device. Fully aware of his mother’s hardships, Nikhil volunteered to do all the household chores and also take care of Nathan in between his studies.
“Two years ago, my health took a turn for the worse. I was fatigued and bedridden most of the time. Since then, Nikhil has taken over my role completely. He is a mother to Nathan and a nurse to me,” said Sheeba. Last October, Sheeba was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system. The news came as a shock to Nikhil, but he resolved to carry on.
So, how does the teenager juggle multiple roles amid demanding study hours and an upcoming Class XII board exam?
“It’s tough. Sometimes I feel sleepy in class as Appu (Nathan) keeps me awake throughout the night. However, when I think of the situation my family is in, all the fatigue vanishes,” Nikhil said. He plans to take up a course in hotel management after Class XII and support his family financially as early as possible.
After the school learnt of Nikhil’s hardships, the management waived off his fees for the academic year. It also organised a function to honour Nikhil, during which Mar Thoma Church head Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan directed that a house be built for Nikhil’s family, who currently live in a rented house.