Rama Bhandari retires today, after working in the Foundation for 12 years. Rama is a special educator with a heart of gold, a teacher who is universally loved by her students and deeply respected and admired by her peers. At her farewell party, tears flowed as one after another staff member stood up to recount the many ways in which Rama had supported them at work and in their personal lives.

“She’s been like a mother to me,” Sunita said. Pooja spoke movingly of how much wonderful advice Rama had given her over the years, advice which had helped her through so many challenges in her life. Others spoke of her amazing abilities in the kitchen, the garden and at the sewing machine. It seems there is no domestic task she hasn’t mastered.

But it was her kindness and her dedication which really made her shine in the Foundation. Always self-effacing, she stayed in the background and did her work quietly and devotedly, never worrying about whether she was acknowledged or thanked. The children could not have found a finer, more loving teacher – all of them will have a difficult time adjusting to the CVT without Rama didi.

We feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have known her and to have had the remarkable experience of working with her for all these years. She is going now to Assam to be with her son and we wish her the very best in her life. We know that she will continue to bring joy and happiness wherever she goes, as she has to so many and for so long here in the Latika Roy Foundation. Thank you, Rama didi.