An Army doctor in Kathua helped Akshay Sharma, a boy silent for eight years, speak again by teaching him speech therapy. His efforts turned despair into joy for the family and inspired the entire village.
For eight years, Akshay Sharma, a boy from Duggan village in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, could not speak. Born with a cleft lip and palate, he had surgery at the age of three. But despite the operation, he remained unable to talk. His parents, who lived in poverty, could not afford further treatment. Slowly, hope faded that they would ever hear their son’s voice.
A chance meeting with an army doctor
Akshay’s life changed when an Army doctor serving in the area met him. After hearing the family’s story, the doctor decided to help. He carried out check-ups and found that with speech therapy, Akshay could learn to speak. But in Duggan, no such facility was available. Instead of giving up, the Army officer took it upon himself to learn speech therapy methods.
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Learning to speak again
In his free time, the doctor worked patiently with Akshay. First, he taught him sounds. Then, slowly, words. Over time, Akshay began to form sentences. Each small step was a big milestone for the boy and his family.
The day Akshay first called out to his parents, it felt like a miracle. His mother and father, who had only heard silence for years, wept with happiness. Their home, once quiet and heavy with sadness, now rang with his voice.
More than healing, a message of hope
What started as a soldier’s personal effort has inspired the entire community in Duggan. It showed that the Army does not only guard borders but also brings comfort and care to people in faraway villages. For Akshay and his parents, the doctor’s kindness gave them back a voice they thought was lost forever.