A promising medical career was cut short when Ekta, a 22-year-old medical graduate, died in the building collapse in Saket, Delhi. She was scheduled to turn 23 on June 25 and was confident about clearing her Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) on June 28 to become a pediatrician.
Dreams of Becoming a Pediatrician
Ekta was the first girl from her village near Alwar, Rajasthan, to study abroad. She completed her medical degree in Kyrgyzstan and had been preparing for the FMGE for the past year and a half. Her father, Ramesh, told TOI that she loved children and wanted to work with them.
Last Phone Call
Ramesh last spoke to Ekta around 4:30 pm on Saturday. She was overjoyed after scoring well in a test and was confident she would ace the exam. She never missed her daily 7:30 pm call home, but on Saturday she did not call, which worried Ramesh. When he began searching for contact numbers to reach her, he learned about the building collapse.
Rescuers took about 20 hours to extricate her body, but Ramesh remained nearby, clinging to hope. The family had planned to visit her in Delhi after her exam. She had told him, "Papa, come after my exam and then we will go home together." Her body was found at 3:55 pm on Sunday.
Another Victim: Civil Engineer Alok Verma
Alok Verma, a civil engineer, also died in the collapse. He was a student at a coaching institute in the building. His friends repeatedly tried calling him that night. One classmate said, "His phone kept ringing till about 11 pm. After that, it was dead." Details about his family were unavailable.
