Labour's love not lost here

It's not everyday that a livein help is described, albeit jokingly, as "my saas". But after 11 years of staying together, Rahul Narvekar and Pallavi Rao consider Ranjana as a family member now. So Ranjana only smiles as Rahul, CEO of NDTV Ethnic Retail Ltd, says she's like a mother-in-law who controls his diet to keep cholesterol in check. "She will make some healthy stuff for me that I don't like.Can't argue with her," he adds. Ranjana is also "didi" to his son Rian, 8, and "like a sister" to his wife Pallavi, who is Group Head-CSR at ENIL, Radio Mirchi. Till recently, Ranjana was in charge of the household, and used to play cricket with Rian too. Today, as she recovers from cancer surgery, the other three have become her caregivers - taking her for treatment, clearing all medical bills and keeping her morale up.
Pallavi, who has herself fought cancer twice, says this has little to do with "compassion" or "charity". "We neither thought like that, nor did we ever think that we were doing something extraordinary." The fact, however, remains that people like Pallavi and Rahul are among the handful few who treat the less privileged in their homes with such respect and care.
The couple also support their driver Mithilesh's family. His two children attend the same school - Mirambika - that Rian does, and receive the same medical treatment when required. "There's never been a demarcation. The children's birthday celebrations are on the house, with the result that Rian's friends are also absolutely okay with this," Pallavi says.
While Ranjana convalesces, Miriam, also from Assam like Ranjana, is helping out with the household work. Knowing her to be bright - Miriam was a district-level football player back home - Pallavi suggested she learn some skill that would make her self-reliant. She arranged for Miriam to attend sewing classes.
"We are lucky that all three of them - Ranjana, Miriam and Mithilesh - are so loving and caring. Ranjana joined us when we were just settling down and when Rian was born, she automatically became his caretaker," says Pallavi. "He is only afraid of her scolding, not of us." Clearly, Rian is in good hands. And so is Ranjana.