Odisha man pedals 300 Km in rickshaw for wife’s hospital treatment
Odisha man pedals 300 Km in rickshaw for wife’s hospital treatment
A 70-year-old rickshaw driver in Odisha wheels his way 300km to a hospital for his ailing wife’s treatment, then begins the return journey, highlighting healthcare access struggles.
A 70-year-old rickshaw-puller from Odisha pedalled his rickshaw van 300 km from Sambalpur to a hospital in Cuttack with his ailing wife Jyoti after she suffered a stroke. With no money for an ambulance, the couple set out in the rickshaw and began a long journey that would test both their endurance and their faith in the health system.
The one-way trip took nine days, travelling about 30 km each day, often stopping near roadside shops to rest. The journey was made in bone-chilling cold, with the elderly man guiding the vehicle and ensuring his wife could lie on cushions laid across the rickshaw. He spoke of his two loves in life—the patient, his wife, and the rickshaw itself—and said he could not abandon either of them. He kept faith by praying as they moved.
After two months of medical treatment in Cuttack, Lohar resumed their journey back home on Jan 19. As they were traveling in the Tangi area, a vehicle brushed their rickshaw, Jyoti fell and hit her head. Lohar was unhurt and immediately carried Jyoti to the nearby Tangi Community Health Centre for first aid. The hospital provided food and allowed them to stay overnight to weather the cold. A local police officer who saw them offered to arrange transport, but Lohar politely declined, insisting on completing their journey by road, just as they started.
The tale has resonated because it shines a spotlight on the daily struggles of poor families to access basic healthcare and transport in rural India. It is a stark reminder of the distances people travel, both literal and financial, to seek treatment for loved ones. Yet the couple’s perseverance has drawn attention to human resilience and community care as they continue their trek back home.
This story underscores the power of love and grit. For many, it serves as a reminder of what ordinary people can achieve when faced with extraordinary challenges. Lohar’s unwavering commitment to his wife and his rickshaw has already become a talking point across Odisha and beyond.
