Nearly 40 years apart, this picture reminds me so eerily and exactly of the one I had (almost) shot in Assam while reporting on the Nellie massacres for The Ilustrated Weekly.Her grandmother was the imperious prime minister of India d when she visited the refugee camp, a woman.. https://twitter.com/waglenikhil/status/1312427590263738368

..survivor threw herself into Mrs Gandhi's arms. The prime minister gathered her to her bosom just like this patting her head and saying, 'mat ro behan. Mat ro. Main hoon na. Main aap ke saath hoon." There was no security then and I was just behind the woman facing Mrs Gandhi..

..it was my first major assignment - I later became an expert in covering riots. It was also my first face to face meeting with Indira Gandhi. I was so nervous my hands were shaking so very badly that I couldn't find the trigger on the camera. Mrs Gandhi took it in all at once..

..she recognised the fact of my rawness and nervousness. &she waited for me 2get that picture before putting the woman away from her. When I still couldn't find the trigger she told me so softly but impatiently 'Hurry up now, girl! I don't have all the time in the world, u know!"

..That had my hands shaking even more furiously. A disgusted Assam policeman who was standing close then snatched the camera from my hands, aimed it at Mrs Gandhi and the woman and pressed 5he trigget, getting me a perfect shot just like this one.Mrs G's compassion for the victim

..and her kindness to an utter dud of a cub reporter was so clearly visible, so much so that the then governor of the state also turned around to kindly ask me if I had a comfortable place2 stay in Gauhati where all hotels had been requiditioned by the govt. I was put in the..

.. Circuit House on his recommendation under the protection of Rajesh Pilot next door till I left. That picture should be in the Archives of Times of India. AroonTikekar was chief librarian then, I remember him looking at that pic from all angles and commenting how only Mrs G

..could do this. Belchi was recalled to mind. In later years when I was a bit less nervous about facing up to prime ministers I found Rajiv Gandhi had similar consideration. Now Rahul and Priyanka.There is something unique about the NehruGandhis and that is why the RSS parivar..

..which can never find their kind of compassion for victims and consideration for others hates them so much and attempts to destroy their reputations. But love always triumps over hate, truth over lies. Der hai, pur andher nahin. India will yet triumph again, I am sure