The Boy Who Refused to Break

Ten years ago, a small boy walked into UDAAN. His eyes were wide — with fear, with curiosity, with the weight of a life far too heavy for his young shoulders. His name was Kamlesh.

His mother walked beside him that day, holding his hand. She didn’t speak much. Her silence said more than words ever could. That was the first and last time she came with him. After that, Kamlesh always came alone.

He had just been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Before UDAAN, the only thing constant in his life was hospital admissions.

He had been in and out of the government hospital with DKA, his young body fighting battles it didn’t deserve. His mother, an Anganwadi Sevika, tried everything — knocking on doors, begging for help, skipping meals so her son could get insulin. But no matter what she did, he kept getting worse.

At home, life was even harder. Kamlesh’s father was an alcoholic — angry, cruel, and violent. When Kamlesh got diagnosed, something inside him snapped even further. He would yell at Kamlesh, tell him he was going to die soon, that he was a burden, a waste. Imagine being twelve years old and being told by your own father that your life wasn’t worth living.

Kamlesh came to UDAAN with all that pain buried deep inside. He didn’t talk much. He kept his head low. But he never missed a single visit. And he listened — really listened. Slowly, he began to learn how to take care of himself. Slowly, his body started to heal. And then something else started to heal — his spirit.

With UDAAN’s support, and his mother’s quiet strength beside him, Kamlesh found courage. One day, they made the bold decision to throw his abusive father out. That small house, once filled with fear, was now filled with peace and possibility.

Kamlesh became the man of the house before he was even out of school. He studied during the day and worked part-time in the evenings. But no matter how tired he was, he never lost that warm, gentle smile. He never lost his empathy. He never once said, “Why me?”

Instead, he began to visit the homes of other children with diabetes — children who were scared, confused, and lonely just like he had once been. He sat with them. He told them his story. He gave them hope.

Kamlesh didn’t just grow with UDAAN. He became part of its soul. He started as a volunteer, became an intern, then a diabetes educator, and finally an advocate. From a frightened boy who once collapsed with hypoglycemia on a train, to a confident young man who flew solo on his first international flight to IDF 2025 as  a De Doc voice— Kamlesh’s journey has been nothing short of incredible.

This was a boy who was told every day that he would die young. Instead, he chose to live fully. To fight. To lift others along the way.

Today, Kamlesh is preparing for the MPSC exams. He dreams of becoming a civil servant — a voice for the people. And if anyone deserves to lead, it’s him. Because Kamlesh doesn’t just understand struggle. He has lived it.

He is the voice of rural India. The voice of children from broken homes. The voice of those who are forgotten. And most importantly — he is the voice of hope.

Kamlesh, we are so proud of you. You didn’t just survive. You rose. And you’re taking all of us with you.

We love you, Dada. - Udaan