A wedding is always an occasion to remember, even more so when you are the bride or the groom. So what happened at a wedding in Odisha? Premika Lakra a resident of Rourkela was sitting at the mandap with her to-be husband Mangal and going through the customs and traditions that would bind her in holy matrimony to him. Everything was going well till the news of food poisoning reached the bride’s ears. Yes, over 140 guests were taken ill and rushed to the hospital.

Premika who is a nurse by profession did not let someone else look into the matter but stood up and left her wedding halfway to care for the guests. She was quoted saying, “Even though I was getting married, but people were taken ill during the ceremony so how could I continue. I am a staff nurse, so I could not help myself and rushed to the hospital to see how they are doing”.

This is a true sign of empathy and kindness that one looks for in caretakers, especially in a place like a hospital that can be riddled with fear of the unknown for many.

I am sure the guests would have returned to their homes with a sweet memory that overshadowed the nightmare that the food brought in. We need more people like Premika to restore our faith in humanity. Here’s wishing her and Mangal a happy married life!