Florence Nightingale scripted history long ago by her services to humanity. She became a synonym for the word ‘NURSE’. To commemorate her services 12th of May is being celebrated as the WORLD NURSES’ DAY. Recently the print and electronic media were flooded with news about a great brave hearted Indian nurse Sabeena of Gudalur town in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. She has now become a role model for women who opt for this noble career.
On 30th of July, 2024, the Wayanad district in Kerala was devastated by a horrible land slide, torrential rains and flood.
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Sabeena serving an NGO forum travelled 70 k.m. from Gudalur to Wayanad when she learned that the Kerala Government needed nurses to treat the wounded patients. The rescue forces made Sabeena dangle on a suspended metallic rope called zip-line and reach the affected patients. Sabeena set off on the zip-line and gave medical aid to those stranded on the other side of a river in Wayanad. She saved 35 lives least bothered about her own life. She said, “I believe, everybody has to join hands during disasters, irrespective of differences of language, caste, class and religion.”
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, invited Sabeena to the Secretariat and commended her. On the Independence Day, 15th August, 2024, he conferred on her the Kalpana Chawla Award and honoured her. She was rightly felicitated for her unequalled act of humanism. This coveted Independence Day award every year is for a daring and courageous enterprise. Sabeena said in inexplicable delight,
“I am so happy about getting this award from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.” Sabeena was also the recipient of a cash citation of five lakh rupees.
Sabeena zip-lined across the river ten times over five days and saved thirty five lives. It was a spine-chilling adventure as there was no electricity and communication facility. 40 year old Sabeena is a single mother with her daughter Shifna, a nursing student, who says – “I am proud of my mother. She has taught me a very big lesson that humanity should always be given the top priority.”
