LIFEGUARD SAVES WOMAN FROM SUICIDE
MID-DAY (JAN 2002)
By Skimmy Gupta
His most memorable rescue was many years ago, when he saved a woman from a very wealthy family from drowning. Arvind Kelvakar, who grew up along the sea, was not even a lifeguard then. He sold tyres along the beach.
The rescued woman's family came the next day to gift him a wristwatch, but they couldn't find him. But Kelvakar says he already got his reward. "I was happy I saved a life." Yesterday, the 48-year-old Juhu resident saved yet another life in his 24-year career as a lifeguard. Soni Wadhawan, a 25-year-old housewife from Chakala, Andheri (East), was trying to commit suicide at Juhu beach.
Kelvakar remembers that a woman in a green sari was walking up and down the beach at 6.30 am. She was by herself. Suddenly, she headed out to sea. He says, "Any person who wants to commit suicide in the sea does not go directly to the water. They first stroll about aimlessly on the beach and then head for the sea."
He adds, "In no time she was in 10 feet of water. She was off her feet, her arms flailing about. I rushed in to pull her out. The current was so strong it took me 20 minutes to bring her to shore." Twenty minutes when Kelvakar fought not just the sea, but also Wadhawan. She was struggling to free herself from his grasp.
""Why are you saving me?" she shouted," Kelvakar remembers.
"She told me, I want to die." She said, "Leave me, leave me, get out of my way," he says. "She was crying uncontrollably."
After Wadhawan was pulled to safety, water was pumped out of her body. Then she was given a cup of coffee. Kelvakar says, "It was obvious she came from a good family. She was wearing a lot of gold bangles, earrings, rings and a mangalsutra.
"When she came to her senses, she said she wanted to go home alone, but we couldn't trust her. So we took her to the beat chowky of the Santa Cruz Police Station, which is on the beach.
A policeman says, "A marital problem appears to be behind the suicide attempt. Her husband, who was called in, said they had quarrelled the previous night."
Wadhawan did not reveal much to the police. "She just repeats she was not aware when and how she went so far into the sea," the policeman says.
For Kelvakar, yesterday's rescue was just another in a long list. He says he has lost count of the number of lives he has saved over the years. "It's scary when the water current is fast, but it feels good to save a life,"he says.
He adds, "Previously there were a lot of cases of babies, born out of wedlock, being thrown into the sea. Of course, those incidents have decreased. But suicide attempts are increasing."
Kelvakar who lives near Ruia Park with his mother, his wife who sells fish, two sons aged 15 and 10, and a daughter aged 12 vows never to stray far from the sea. "When I first got a job as a lifeguard in 1978, it was a dream come true," he says. "Beaches are my first love. Even after retiring, I will be on this beach and save lives if necessary. I cannot imagine life away from the beach."
MID-DAY (JAN 2002)
By Skimmy Gupta
His most memorable rescue was many years ago, when he saved a woman from a very wealthy family from drowning. Arvind Kelvakar, who grew up along the sea, was not even a lifeguard then. He sold tyres along the beach.
The rescued woman's family came the next day to gift him a wristwatch, but they couldn't find him. But Kelvakar says he already got his reward. "I was happy I saved a life." Yesterday, the 48-year-old Juhu resident saved yet another life in his 24-year career as a lifeguard. Soni Wadhawan, a 25-year-old housewife from Chakala, Andheri (East), was trying to commit suicide at Juhu beach.
Kelvakar remembers that a woman in a green sari was walking up and down the beach at 6.30 am. She was by herself. Suddenly, she headed out to sea. He says, "Any person who wants to commit suicide in the sea does not go directly to the water. They first stroll about aimlessly on the beach and then head for the sea."
He adds, "In no time she was in 10 feet of water. She was off her feet, her arms flailing about. I rushed in to pull her out. The current was so strong it took me 20 minutes to bring her to shore." Twenty minutes when Kelvakar fought not just the sea, but also Wadhawan. She was struggling to free herself from his grasp.
""Why are you saving me?" she shouted," Kelvakar remembers.
"She told me, I want to die." She said, "Leave me, leave me, get out of my way," he says. "She was crying uncontrollably."
After Wadhawan was pulled to safety, water was pumped out of her body. Then she was given a cup of coffee. Kelvakar says, "It was obvious she came from a good family. She was wearing a lot of gold bangles, earrings, rings and a mangalsutra.
"When she came to her senses, she said she wanted to go home alone, but we couldn't trust her. So we took her to the beat chowky of the Santa Cruz Police Station, which is on the beach.
A policeman says, "A marital problem appears to be behind the suicide attempt. Her husband, who was called in, said they had quarrelled the previous night."
Wadhawan did not reveal much to the police. "She just repeats she was not aware when and how she went so far into the sea," the policeman says.
For Kelvakar, yesterday's rescue was just another in a long list. He says he has lost count of the number of lives he has saved over the years. "It's scary when the water current is fast, but it feels good to save a life,"he says.
He adds, "Previously there were a lot of cases of babies, born out of wedlock, being thrown into the sea. Of course, those incidents have decreased. But suicide attempts are increasing."
Kelvakar who lives near Ruia Park with his mother, his wife who sells fish, two sons aged 15 and 10, and a daughter aged 12 vows never to stray far from the sea. "When I first got a job as a lifeguard in 1978, it was a dream come true," he says. "Beaches are my first love. Even after retiring, I will be on this beach and save lives if necessary. I cannot imagine life away from the beach."
Labels: City
posted by Skimmy @ January 12, 2009
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