Army brings hope to remote J-K village: Young boy finds his voice after eight years of silence

Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 16 (ANI): For eight years, Akshay Sharma, a young boy from a poor family in Duggan, lived in silence. Born with a cleft lip and palate, he underwent surgery at the age of three, but still could not speak. His parents--struggling with poverty and unable to afford treatment--had almost lost hope of ever hearing their son's voice.
Everything changed when an Army doctor serving in the area came across Akshay. Moved by the family's struggle, he carried out basic check-ups and found that with proper therapy, the boy could learn to talk. Since no such facilities were available in the remote village, the officer studied speech therapy techniques himself and began working with Akshay in his free time, according to an official release.

Patiently, he taught him sounds, then words, and finally simple sentences. After months of practice, Akshay began to speak with growing confidence.
The first time he called out to his parents, their eyes welled with tears. For them, it was not just a sound--it was a miracle. A dream they had buried deep in their hearts had come alive. Their home, once filled with silent prayers, now echoed with Akshay's joyful chatter.
What began as one soldier's act of kindness has touched an entire community. The Army doctor's compassion has left a lasting mark in Duggan--reminding all that the army not only guards the borders but also heals hearts, and in the most unexpected moments, brings hope where it is needed most.
Earlier, the Army, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police and district administration, had carrying out rescue operations in Chasoti village of Kishtwar district after a devastating flash flood triggered by a cloudburst.
A massive cloudburst struck Chasoti village in Jammu & Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 60 people. The cloudburst, which occurred along the Machail Mata Yatra route, triggered flash floods and widespread destruction, causing multiple casualties among yatris and residents.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Chasoti to assess the damage and received a detailed briefing from Army personnel. He also used a Virtual Reality (VR) headset to review the destruction and said immediate relief measures would be taken to support affected families.
On Friday, Abdullah confirmed that around 60 bodies had been recovered so far, while the number of missing people was still being verified. (ANI)