How An Assam Mother's Compassion Became An NCERT Lesson

Anjali Saikia's remarkable act of breastfeeding an orphaned palm civet alongside her infant son in Assam has transcended a quiet village deed to become a powerful lesson on empathy and coexistence for students across India through an NCERT textbook.

Seventeen years after an Assamese woman breastfed an orphaned palm civet alongside her infant son, the extraordinary story of love across species is now inspiring students in classrooms across India.

What began in 2009 in Kampur village in Assam's Nagaon district with an abandoned palm civet and a mother's instinct to nurture has found its way into classrooms across the country.

Anjali Saikia's decision to breastfeed a 15-day-old orphaned palm civet alongside her infant son is now the subject of 'Baby Bhakat', a chapter in the NCERT-developed CBSE Class X English supplementary reader, Words and Expressions Part Two, turning a quiet act of kindness into a national lesson on empathy and coexistence.

A Mother's Instinct

The story dates back to 2009, when a tiny palm civet cub fell from a coconut tree near the Saikia family's home in Kampur.

Barely 15 days old, the cub had lost its mother and had little chance of survival.

Unable to find any suitable way to feed the frail animal, Anjali Saikia did what came naturally to her as a nursing mother.

In a remarkable display of maternal care, she breastfed the baby civet for nearly three months alongside her infant son.

The family named the cub Bhakat, and what started as an emergency measure soon grew into an extraordinary bond.

Bhakat became part of the household, sharing meals, affection and everyday life with the family.

Growing Up Together

For months, Bhakat was raised like the Saikias' third child.

As the civet grew stronger, the family gradually introduced it to fruits and other natural foods before eventually allowing it to return to the wild.

Yet the animal never entirely severed its ties with its human family, often returning to visit them.

The unusual relationship between the family and the rescued wild animal later drew the attention of documentary filmmakers and conservationists, helping preserve the story for a wider audience.

From Village to Classroom

Years later, the family's son made a startling discovery while reading his school textbook.

The family's story is told in 'Baby Bhakat', a chapter in the NCERT-developed CBSE Class X English supplementary reader, Words and Expressions Part Two.

Written by conservation photographer Romal Shunmugam, the lesson encourages students to value compassion, empathy and coexistence with wildlife, using the Saikia family's experience to demonstrate that kindness towards all living creatures can transcend the boundaries between humans and animals.

'Bigger Than Any Award'

For Dharani Saikia, Anjali's husband, seeing their family's experience immortalised in a national textbook was an emotional moment.

He described the inclusion as 'bigger than any award', saying they had never imagined that a simple act of kindness born out of instinct would one day inspire millions of schoolchildren across India.

At a time when headlines are often dominated by stories of human-wildlife conflict, the Saikias' experience offers a rare counter-narrative -- one where compassion triumphed over fear and an abandoned wild animal found not just shelter, but a mother's embrace.

Seventeen years on, the Saikias' remarkable act of compassion has travelled far beyond their quiet Assamese village, finding a place in NCERT textbooks and reminding a new generation that kindness knows no species.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff