Age comes with its treasure of wisdom and generosity. Pi Nghakliani, 95, is being the generous and sacrificing granny that she is as the world fights COVID-19 pandemic. This elderly woman has not only donated her measly monthly pension to Mizoram Chief Minister's Relief Fund, but is also stitching masks for the poor.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga was among the people touched by her goodwill gesture. "Here is an incredible story of Pi Nghakliani (95), w/o Pu Lalrinliana (L) Ex-MLA; who's not just yet done with donating her 1-month pensioner's salary to the Chief Minister's RF, yet still sew face masks and handing them out to whoever needs it!" Zoramthanga tweeted.
Sangpuii, the elderly woman's daughter-in-law, said the nonagenarian stitches around 10-20 washable masks a day. "There is an acute shortage of masks in Mizoram and they are expensive too. The Chinese masks, which cost Rs10 earlier, are now being sold at Rs.100-200 apiece. So, she thought it would be nice to donate in the cause. It's a very small gesture."
She said Nghakliani was faced with a scarcity of materials as the shops dealing in the items were all closed. Despite her falling age, the woman has no problem with her vision. "She says she had seen World War-II and the insurgency movement in Mizoram.” Nghakliani and many others had to take refuge at a village in Assam's Haflong in 1966 and hide there for two years during the Mizo insurgency movement. “My mother-in-law says she had never seen a situation like the one created now by COVID-19 pandemic," Sangpuii said.
She said her mother-in-law felt there should not be any political boundary in this hour of need and challenging times. "It is a time to ask what we can do, nothing too small or too big," she said, quoting the granny.
