Jaipur:
India's first introduction to Baby Damini was the back of her head, snuggled in tight to her father's chest as he ferried people in his cycle-rickshaw in Bharatpur in Rajasthan. That sight grabbed India's heart, leading to a deluge of offers for help.
That was two weeks ago. Today, Damini left a hospital in Jaipur in a car with her dad, wearing a brand-new pink dress, considerably healthier than when she was rushed here under the close supervision of the state government.
She weighs just two kilos now, not ideal for a baby her height. But she has recovered from fungal septicimia, respiratory disorders and renal failure. "Her infection has improved, her vital parameters are fine and she is accepting external feeds," said Dr Jaikishan Mittal, the doctor who supervised her care at Fortis Hospital in Jaipur.
The staff grew so attached to her that they pooled together Rs 28,000 to ensure her medical check-ups can continue - a necessary precaution, warn her doctors. Donations from strangers across the world have totalled more than 16 lakhs, which the government has placed in fixed deposits for her.
Damini's mother died in childbirth. Her father, Babloo, has no close relatives who he can leave her with when he's at work. And worried about her health, he is unwilling to entrust her to one of the many NGOs that have offered daycare for her in his home town. So Babloo says he will return to pulling his rickshaw when he is confident she can brave his long hours without falling sick again.
The Child Welfare Committee will also closely monitor Damini's routine and health.