New Delhi: Ambika and her sister, Vijaita, lost their father nearly four decades ago in a road accident. On Friday, the siblings, who are in their forties, lost a pillar of strength — their mother, Priti Kumar (69), who was murdered during a robbery at her house.The sexagenarian had built a life defined by strict discipline and charity. Her morning began at 4am with prayers before she stepped out to visit temples, hospitals and NGOs, spending hours helping the needy.As her body was being taken away for postmortem, the narrow lane outside her house in Jangpura filled up with relatives, neighbours and NGO workers, who struggled to come to terms with the loss.Priti’s daughters, Ambika and Vijaita, said, “We lost our father in 1985 when we were just two and three years old. Our mother wasn’t working at that time. She resumed teaching to raise us and pay for our education,” Ambika told TOI. “Both of us completed our master’s and became teachers just because of her.”Ambika was supposed to visit her mother, who would have turned 70 in just two weeks, Friday afternoon. “I met her Thursday. I live nearby and used to visit her often. We barely remember our father because we lost him so young, but every memory of our mother is vivid — her fortitude, the way she managed finances, the values she taught us and the meals she lovingly cooked whenever we came over,” she said.Priti’s younger daughter, Vijaita, broke down repeatedly, needing relatives to comfort her. “Even at this age, she remained active. I am sure she resisted the attacker,” she said.Helping others had become the purpose of Priti’s life. Kavita, an NGO worker, remembered her carrying bags full of clothes collected for donation and going door-to-door to raise funds for charity.Priti’s faith shaped every aspect of her life, said her sister-in-law, Savita. Every morning, she used to light eight diyas outside her home — two for each daughter and son-in-law, and four for her grandchildren, before praying for their well-being.As an ambulance carrying Priti’s body left for the mortuary, Vijaita spoke through tears, “Whenever we used to leave after meeting her, she would walk us to the end of the lane and wave us goodbye. We would tell her there was no need for it because we’d be back again soon. Today, we had to say a final goodbye to her. This was not how her story was supposed to end.”
