In picture : Rituparna with her son Aadrit
"Right now, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! 🙂
This pursuit of happiness wasn’t an easy one though. It took me six long years of battle - inside the courtroom and outside it - to be where I am today.
I’m not going to sugarcoat this - being a single parent is pretty darn hard! I’m a geoscientist which means I get posted at remote locations that have barely any contact with the rest of civilization. My son, Aadrit, is often alone at home or with grandparents for days at a stretch. But I’ve always made it a point to travel with him to distant cities and countries, at least once every year. My personal life experiences have taught me that the best learning happens outside core school academics - on roads, with people, around birds and animals, with experiences and exposure. And I have strived to create such opportunities for my son to learn and grow every step of the way.
My fondest vacation with him was in Dubai recently. Right before the trip, I came down with a serious back injury but Aadrit pushed me to not give up. In fact the 12-year old took care of everything on that trip - from making sure I was comfortable throughout, to carrying our bags and arranging for supplies whenever needed. Yes, I am a proud mama!
My journey to becoming Aadrit’s single parent hasn’t been an easy one. I have been a victim of domestic violence for almost 4 years. I hoped things would change some day, but nothing ever did. Then one day, I woke up and it was almost like an external power had taken over me. I uttered the words - I’ve had enough; and walked away from the marriage with my two and a half year old son. It’s spine chilling, now that I think of it. I had no support from friends or family and nothing to fall back on. I mean, not even my own parents stood by my decision. They would keep telling me - “You are depriving him of his father” But if there was one thing I was sure about - it was the fact that I didn’t want my son to grow up around this man.
And today, I can proudly say I’m raising my son to be the person I’ve always envisioned him to be. He’s empathetic, kind, humble and basically the sweetest person you’ll ever meet. As for having a father, he thinks his maa is a total rockstar who can don many hats all at once!”
~ Rituparna (Aadrit's Mom, Geoscientist and an Avid Traveller)