Losing a parent is an evitable but extremely difficult thing to cope up with - losing your life partner is also equally harrowing. Easier said than done but acceptance has to be achieved, and life must go on.

Retired Colonel of the Indian Army, Sanjay Pande took to Twitter to share his struggle when his wife passed away, and how he cared for his pregnant daughter in her absence.

Taking to the microblogging website, the retired colonel wrote, "My wife passed away and a year plus later my daughter informed me that I was going to be a grand dad soon. Traditionally, I, father, as lone surviving parent, would have been most useless guy around in pregnancy days, post pregnancy period, baby’s growth etc. I was a fighter."

1. My wife passed away and a year plus later my daughter informed me that I was going to be a grand dad soon. Traditionally, I, father, as lone surviving parent, would have been most useless guy around in pregnancy days, post pregnancy period, baby’s growth etc. I was a fighter.

He explained how he decided to be his daughter's 'mother'. He wrote, "I decided to be my daughters ‘mother’. Right from the day she informed me, I planned her traditional diet, learnt by researching through nights, YouTube, elders, books and everything I could lay my hands on. The FIRST batch of laddus for 30 days was ready. Problem? Delhi & UK!"

2. I decided to be my daughters ‘mother’. Right from the day she informed me, I planned her traditional diet, learnt by researching through nights, YouTube, elders, books and everything I could lay my hands on. The FIRST batch of laddus for 30 days was ready. Problem? Delhi & UK!

He further recalled how the distance made things inconvenient but he faced every challenge with full preparation. 

"Vaccum packing machine, food grade plastics, freezing laddus for 96 hrs, packing as sending them by parcel to UK!!! The first lot saved my daughters life since she was eating nothing. 15 days later the second different type of laddus were made and frozen. 21st day dispatched!" wrote Col Pande.

3. Vaccum packing machine, food grade plastics, freezing laddus for 96 hrs, packing as sending them by parcel to UK!!! The first lot saved my daughters life since she was eating nothing. 15 days later the second different type of laddus were made and frozen. 21st day dispatched!

He mentioned how he went ahead and prepared everything for his daughter to ensure that she has a nutritious diet that is usually prepared by an Indian traditional mother during the time of her daughter's pregnancy. 

4. The cycle started. Every type of healthy & nutritious food that a traditional Indian mother would give to her daughter, was made by me personally. Hygiene, calculation of nutrients, calories, weight of laddus, storing technique etc. all were meticulously written down.

He said that the coronavirus-induced pandemic was an obstacle for him but he managed to take care of his daughter just like his wife would have. However, he still had a long way to go.

5. Eighth month, Seventh, Sixth, Fifth, Fourth, Third, Second and the month of due date. I fed her nutrients from here. CoVID did not permit travel. All eight months she was fed in UK what she would have got here. Now my challenge in July was WHAT to feed her post-pregnancy?

After researching, he sent more items to his daughter living in the UK every month to ensure that her health remains intact even after she had given birth.

6. Again research, foods & super foods helping in lactation or increasing milk etc was studied and the first lot was dispatched in August. It continued for each month. I visited UK and made in bulk. Whether it was Garden Cress, Edible Gum, Methi, Shatawari or many such things,

7. I became master. Mixing ingredients, balancing calories and seeing the effect with own eyes. From Jan 19 to date, the flow of this special mothers food was given by me, a father, to my daughter. It continues. It’s been a year that the grand kid feeds on my Laddu as start of

8. day. Today I have perfect recipes of more than 12 laddus that women require from conception to the baby crossing a year of age. I feel so proud of myself that I did not let my wife down. My daughter swears by me and refuses to touch anything given by others. Interesting?

He concluded his thread by mentioning how he never realised that whatever he did was anything but his duty as a parent. He wrote, "I never realised that what I did from Jan 2019 up to today was anything but my duty. A random thought triggered the thread today. I am amazed at response, comments, suggestions & kind words from Twitter friends. Admitting unashamedly, you all made me cry today. Love you all.

9. I never realised that what I did from Jan 2019 up to today was anything but my duty. A random thought triggered the thread today. I am amazed at response, comments, suggestions & kind words from Twitter friends. Admitting unashamedly, you all made me cry today. Love you all.

Colonel Sanjay Pande's wife Savita passed away in 2017, after which he started an initiative aptly “SAVITA” (Sustainable And Valuable Initiative for Timely Assistance)”.

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