When Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail were walking around the corridors of Cama Hospital,spraying bullets,a small huddle of hospital staff circled Viju Chavan. In the midst of the mayhem and madness,the 28-year-old had gone into labour. The girl she gave birth to that day was given the name Goli. A year after the attack she is more formally called Tejaswini,the name inspired by a film in which the heroine is a police officer. We were given five names to choose from by the priest. I chose Tejaswini. I have seen the movie where the actress played a police officer. My daughter came to this world between crossfiring,death and blood. I want her to now become a police officer, says father Shamu (34),a worker at Sassoon Docks. However,for the colony and the media,she is still Goli. Shamu says he will always remember the night his daughter was born. I will never forget the effort by all,doctors,patients and visitors,to pull every possible machinery and equipment to block the door to the main hall where all of us were hiding from the terrorists, he says. I knew one wrong move,one bullet towards the delivery room and I would lose my world. After the commotion died,the doctors who came visiting said: You must name her Goli.. Let her name be the memory of the day that none of us can forget. The family obliged,and have only now started calling her Tejaswini. On Thursday,as she turned one,an early morning visitor included Dhondu Raghunath Parab,the ward boy at Cama Hospital who played the most important role in ensuring that she had a safe birth. He brought some chocolates and it was very touching that he still remembered us. Tejaswini was happy, he says. The entire neighbourhood at the little colony in Cuffe Parade was preparing to celebrate Golis first birthday. She has been called by various channels,including Doordarshan,to come to the studio to celebrate her birthday. But,I told myself,this is our world,so why not just eat some biscuits,cake and chivda with them. We are happy to be at home, says Shamu.
