Jharkhand baby born on train, abandoned, saved by kind nurses in Kerala
Just three weeks into life, a baby girl from Jharkhand was left behind by her parents — but fate had something kinder in store. The newborn, now lovingly named Nidhi (meaning “treasure” in Malayalam), has been cared for over the past month by the compassionate staff of Ernakulam General Hospital.
Born under difficult circumstances, Nidhi’s mother Ranjitha went into labour on a train journey back to Jharkhand. She was admitted to Ernakulam General Hospital in January, where she gave birth. The baby weighed less than 1 kg and had to be transferred to a private hospital for intensive neonatal care.
Soon after, her parents — Mangaleswar and Ranjitha, fish farm workers in Kottayam — disappeared. Despite the hospital’s repeated efforts, Mangaleswar could not be contacted. The Kerala government stepped in, with a medical board formed to ensure Nidhi’s treatment. She received oxygen support for a week, two blood transfusions for anemia, and was fed breast milk from the hospital’s milk bank.
Under the watchful care of Dr. Viji, Dr. Vineetha, and a team of nurses, Nidhi has steadily gained weight and strength. Now 37 weeks old and weighing 2 kg, she can feed normally and is healthy.
On Thursday, Nidhi will move to a child care home under the Child Welfare Committee in Ernakulam — a safe space to begin the next chapter of her life.