Ravi Prabhala
Ravi and Shilpa got married in 2005. They gave birth to their son, Pranay, in 2011. Life was fun for this three-member family until 2014. Pranay was three-and-a-half years old when Shilpa was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2014. After a long battle, she passed away in 2017.
Single Dad, Double Love
On this Father’s Day, MomJunction celebrates dads who have been playing the role of both the father and mother and the dads who are fighting all odds in raising their children single-handedly.
In a four-part series, we bring you the real-life stories of such single fathers. These fathers have not only provided the best to their children but are also standing as examples.
Shilpa had to be taken to the hospital for chemotherapy every few days for eight long months after her primary diagnosis. She also had to be hospitalized for a few months. Ravi’s journey, as a father and mother embodied into one, began right then.
Ravi’s typical day back then used to be waking up Pranay, preparing his school lunch box, dropping him at bus bay, taking Shilpa to the hospital, picking Pranay from school, asking a neighbor to look after him, and then getting Shilpa back home from the hospital.
Pranay was a little older than five years when Shilpa passed away. Ravi has been a one-person-army for Pranay since then. “In the evening, at 7 pm, all mothers used to come to pick up their children from the park. Pranay used to stand there and watch. I made sure to fill the void and be there to pick him up every day. He is very understanding, but after all, he is a kid with many questions. Previously, he used to ask me where Shilpa was. I would show him the stars and tell him that Mumma is safe with God now, ” recalls Ravi.
Ravi cooks, cleans, entertains, teaches, and cares for Pranay all by himself. He, who knew only how to make tea earlier, is a multi-cuisine chef now. “Kitchen is my kingdom now,” he chuckles and adds, “I watch cooking tutorial videos on YouTube and cook things that Pranay likes. The pizza I make is his favorite dish. From packing bread and curd rice to school to making burgers, pasta, and pizza, I cook almost everything for him.”
The journey has not been easy for Ravi, but his world revolves around his son now. Ravi keeps showing Shilpa’s photos and videos to Pranay as he wants him to know what a wonderful human being she was. He shows Pranay some videos of Shilpa singing devotional songs. Ravi loves it when Pranay sings those songs at times. Nine-year-old Pranay misses his mom, but Ravi strives each day to make him feel happier than the previous day.
