22-04-2025
How this 10-year-old Bengaluru preemie became voice for tiny fighters
Bengaluru: At an age when most children are discovering hobbies, 10-year-old
Naysa Bhattacharjee
has already found her life's mission — supporting newborns in
Neonatal Intensive Care Units
(NICUs).
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Her motivation is deeply personal as Naysa herself was born in the seventh month of pregnancy in 2015 and spent the first 45 days of her life in an NICU.
Now a class 5 student at Kunskapsskolan International School, Muthanallur Cross, Naysa remembers her early struggles through stories shared by her parents. "She was very tiny with complications, and every single day was uncertain. We were fortunate to afford the treatment, but it made us painfully aware of what other families go through," said her mother Priyam Bortumuli, director of the Neonates Foundation of India.
That awareness turned into action. In 2018, she joined the foundation's core team, helping connect underprivileged families with NICU care through hospitals and donors. Inspired by her mother's work, Naysa is determined to spread awareness and stand up for newborns who can't yet speak for themselves.
At a fundraiser for the 17th edition of Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru held Tuesday, Naysa, at her first offline campaign, stood on stage talking about the bitter experience her mother went through.
With nearly 35,000 runners signed up for the upcoming run, the event has already raised over Rs 3.4 crore for various causes. When asked what inspired her, she said, "After my parents told me what they went through during my birth, I didn't want other babies to suffer because their families can't afford treatment. I want to save them, which led me on this path."
Despite her age, Naysa juggles schoolwork and social life with her new role as a volunteer fundraiser.
"I started in March and attend multiple virtual meetings every week. It's manageable now because of the summer holidays, but I do get nervous before going on stage. Sometimes, it's hard to focus."
— Deepshikha Acharya
