Mumbai: 22-year-old Pune girl who lost legs in train accident back on her feet

It was a dark Diwali for the Dhamdhere family of Pune last year - Sayali, 22, met with a train accident and lost her legs. But that was then and this is now - thanks to immense help that poured in after mid-day's reports, from politicians and good Samaritans, some from as far as Saudi Arabia and the US, she's standing tall, and walking on her own with the help of artificial feet called stubbies (foreshortened prostheses for bilateral above-knee amputees).

Sayali Dhamdhere

Sayali's accident took place on October 20, 2016, when she was on her way back to Pune after appearing for her IAS entrance exam in the city. She slipped in the gap while boarding the train at Kalyan station. She was admitted at Jupiter Hospital in Thane.

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After 26 days in the ICU and eight surgeries (with total treatment cost touching R25 lakh, of which R18 lakh came through donations) later, she left the hospital on December 7 in a wheelchair with worry on her mind.

"Last year this time, all my family could think about was my treatment. It was not a happy Diwali. But this year, we all celebrated," she said. "I'd left the hospital depressed, but with my father's constant encouragement that I would surely walk one day, I am back on my feet."

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She is now preparing for the IAS exam, which will be held July next year.

"Three months after discharge, my grafted skin recovered and I went to an artificial limb centre in Pune to give my measurements. I was given stubbies, after which doctors had to train me how to walk with them. I have been practising at home... my brothers Pravin and Saurabh have been beside me day and night. It was a very special bhai dooj for us this year," she said.

Her father Sanjay, 55, a teacher, is happy that she's recovered swiftly. "After the accident, it was difficult to keep hope, but we kept encouraging her that she would walk one day. We are grateful to mid-day for the coverage and we thank MP Kirit Somaiya, who visited the hospital with a few victims of similar accidents to counsel my daughter and show that they were doing well despite the tragedy," he said.

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Sayali said, "After a few months, I will go for fitting of Auttobock (German-made protheses). But those limbs cost about R40 lakh, which is out of our reach. Hence, I am appealing for help…" Somaiya had promised to help the family to get the protheses, when he had visited her in the hospital.

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