Seven years on, fire hero’s life still in ashes

Surat: Nearly seven years after the Takshashila Arcade fire that killed 22 students and jolted Gujarat, one of its quiet heroes is struggling to remember his own days. Jatin Nakrani, who helped save numerous lives that afternoon, now lives with brain injury, jobless and dependent.Jatin, 30, once ran a fashion design coaching class at Takshashila Arcade. He suffered severe injuries in the fire on May 24, 2019, which left him with short-term memory loss that has made it impossible for him to work.A computer applications graduate, Jatin had invested about Rs 1.5 crore in the coaching class after mortgaging his home and had early business success. Today, the family’s financial burden has shifted to his father, Bharat, 58, a former diamond artisan who now drives a goods tempo to make ends meet.Jatin is Bharat’s only son. With his two daughters married and Jatin unable to earn, Bharat has become the sole caregiver and breadwinner.During the Takshashila fire, Jatin was among the first to raise the alarm. From his classroom on the second floor, he rushed upstairs after noticing the blaze and warned students attending a mathematics class on the third floor, helping them escape. He then went to the fourth floor to alert others, but the building’s only wooden staircase was already engulfed in flames.Trapped, Jatin broke window glass and helped several students escape. He rescued around 14 before losing his balance and falling from the building, suffering severe injuries to his head and body.For a long period after the incident, Jatin was bedridden, paralyzed in the right side of his body. His physical condition has improved and he can now walk and manage his daily routine. However, he continues to suffer from short-term memory loss and forgets things in hours.According to the family, Jatin can’t use a vehicle due to the risk of him getting lost. He goes out for walks and returns home, but is unemployed and on medication aimed at improving his mental health.The Nakrani family, originally from Amreli in Saurashtra, has lived in Surat for the past 33 years. “My brother gave me with a goods rickshaw so that I can earn some money. I make between Rs 300 and Rs 500 on a normal day. Due to the current fuel crisis and slow business, I am not getting enough work,” Bharat told TOI.Family members say Jatin gets upset quickly and may even shout and abuse if his demands are not met, reflecting the lasting psychological effects“Jatin’s and his family’s condition is challenging. While trying to save lives, his life changed completely,” said Jaysukh Gajera, the father of Grishma, one of the deceased students. “Political leaders and the community came forward and helped the Nakrani family repay around Rs 40 lakh to free their home of the mortgage.”