“I’m choking, please give me treatment” – Barkha Dutt’s father’s last words

Senior Indian journalist Barkha Dutt shared the pain of losing her father to COVID-19. In an emotional note on Twitter, Barkha Dutt expressed her grief of how she failed in bringing her ailing father back home safe.  

The kindest, loveliest man I have every known, my father Speedy, lost the COVID battle and died this morning. When I took him to hospital, against his will, I promised I would bring him home in two days. I couldn’t keep my word. I failed. He never broke a promise he made to us pic.twitter.com/ZUDwoa1LDa

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) April 27, 2021

She also acknowledged the hospital staff and everyone who tried their best to help her family in this situation. The last words of her late father rang loudly in her mind, “I’m choking, please give me treatment”

My fathers last words to me were : “I’m choking, treat me”- to all the doctors at Medanta, nurses, ward staff, security guards, ambulance drivers, my gratitude for trying so hard. My father loved to invent things, make trains , planes and of course, his grandchildren pic.twitter.com/DIijrq2WNb

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) April 27, 2021

The day her father SP Dutt, was hospitalised, both Barkha and Bahar ( sister of Barkha Dutt ) narrated the difficulties they faced, right from getting an ambulance to oxygen supply issues.

Every day I report from hospitals and ICUs and on relentless tragedy and loss and heartbreak, but when the ‘news’ comes home, what do you do but pray hard, thank your doctors & soldier on, it’s dads 8th ill day today & we are keeping our toes crossed. Keep us in your prayers pic.twitter.com/q53mcJlOVu

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) April 21, 2021

The day she cremated her father, she said in an interview that urgent help must be sent to India for the sake of the world. She also added, “It is a calamity and a crisis of the kind that I have not seen in my adult life.”

“It is a calamity and a crisis of the kind that I have not seen in my adult life.”

Indian broadcaster @BDUTT speaking to me on the @MehdiHasanShow on @MSNBC last night about the Covid crisis in her country:pic.twitter.com/EfbZFdVKI1

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) April 26, 2021

The second wave in India has firmly gripped the country. Thousands of families have lost their loved ones due to Covid-19. The hospitals are overwhelmed and there are no beds for patients. Shortage of oxygen has killed far more people than the virus alone.

” I am an upper middle class Indian. I had access to a hospital, “she said in an interview, “most people I am reporting on are dying at the gates of the hospital.”

'Most people I'm reporting on are dying at the gates of hospitals that are shutting their doors to patients.'@BDUTT tells @julieetchitv that, despite her own personal tragedy, many Indians are suffering toohttps://t.co/2UnbrfV0Ee pic.twitter.com/SU32hphVeK

— ITV News (@itvnews) April 27, 2021

Actors Farhan Akhtar and Abhishek Bachchan and others tweeted their condolences.

So sorry for your loss Barkha. Deepest condolences. ❤️🙏🏽 RIP.

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) April 27, 2021

My deepest condolences to you Barkha. May God give you and the family strength during this very difficult time. 🙏🏽

— Abhishek 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧 (@juniorbachchan) April 27, 2021