In a unique way to raise money for a noble cause, an Australian Army's Brigadier is doing over 14,000 push-ups in London to raise 25,000 pounds for treatment of martyr Indian Major's differently-abled son.
Brigadier William Sowry, 52, who has set a target of 14,600 push-ups in 23 days, had met his friend Major Mohit Whig in 1994 in Wellington where he was deputed to spend one year at India's prestigious Defence Services Staff College.
Then a young Major of the Australian Army, Sowry developed a high professional regard for his "sponsor" Major Whig. Subsequently, as the year progressed, both families developed close bonds.
Sowry then went back to Australia while Whig was posted to the Kashmir Valley for counter insurgency duties. On 4 June 1997, while on a patrol, Whig along with three other soldiers was killed by a land mine. He left behind his wife Tina and two young children, Zorawar and Fateh.
A couple of years ago, Sowry discovered Whig's family once again through the social networking site Facebook. It was then that Sowry learnt about Whig's younger son Fateh, who was barely a year old when his father was killed. Fateh was born with spina bifida, a rare congenital spinal disorder that has left him differently-abled since birth.
"I received a letter from Tina and I still remember the shock (I still have her letter) when Tina said Mohit was dead. As is always the case the tragedy hit the family even more with the severe spina bifeda that beset Fateh, his second son," recalls Sowry, the defence attache in London.
He said Tina was utilising the Army widow's pension for the treatment of Fateh as he requires constant care.
"His medical care in India has been first rate but rehabilitative care less so due to a lack of facilities and specialist therapists.
"Tina wants Fateh to have more independence as he gets older and the ability to self care to some extent and since one of the hospitals that can help with this training is in Australia she approached me," Sowry said.
Sowry found out details and realised that they would need about 25,000 pounds in total.
He decided to step in to help and built a fund-raising campaign called PUFF - Push Ups For Fateh.
Quite a few of Whig's classmates from the Doon School, among whom Arvind Nigam, a senior Delhi-based lawyer and Sanjiv Singhal, formerly of the IAF now with a private airline helped spread the message.
In the 23 days that the Tour De France takes place, he started doing four push-ups for every kilometre of the race. That means for the 3,660 kilometres he will do 14,642 push-ups in 18 days and he has so far raised 12,000 pounds, which is roughly half the funds required.
