(This story originally appeared in on Sep 15, 2016)

Often in news for its communal clash Mangaluru now has a reason to be proud. Cutting across religions , people have united to help a baby , aged about two years and nine months.Sudiksha is the daughter of Vijay Kumar, a coolie, and Harinakshi, who rolls beedies, hailing from Mogeradka village in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital in Bengaluru has certified that the child was diagnosed with profound bilateral sensor neural hearing loss and requires cochlear implantation surgery.The approximate cost would be about Rs 7.5 lakhs towards implants and hospital expenses in a general ward excluding ICU stay and medication. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Vijay Kumar said, "My daughter had turned one and we were waiting for her to speak. When she was not reacting, we went to a private hospital in Mangaluru who said that my daughter has to undergo cochlear implantation surgery. Since it was an expensive affair we went back and started arranging for funds. Now the hospital has told us that once we arrange for Rs 4.3 lakh, the surgery can be conducted immediately. We have approached for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and have been told that Rs 2 lakh has been sanctioned. We have also been told that the funds can be withdrawn only after the operation. We were lucky to meet Seif Sulthan, who has assured to give us Rs 2 lakhs," he said.Sultan, the founder of Hope Foundation and a management trainer, said, "I was on my way to Siyon Ashram, where nearly 350 abandoned elders and mentally challenged people are being taken care of. Zilla Panchayat president Shahul Hameed told me about this child. The baby has stopped talking because she cannot hear herself and cries in helplessness. The family of Sudiksha needs Rs 2 lakh immediately to get the implant before she turns three in December. The operation will be done in Jain Hospital, Bengaluru. We have taken this up as a campaign called, "Help Baby Sudiksha Now. See Your Own Child in Baby Sudiksha". A small video seeking help is being circulated on social media," he said.Out of the required Rs 7.5 lakh, about Rs 5.5 lakh has been collected. They have got about Rs 3 lakh from the PM's fund and Rs 2 lakh from the CM fund. Rs 50,000 has come from friends and family.Those who want to donate can contact: Hope Foundation, Vijaya Bank AC #: 106200301000092 IFSC Code: VIJB0001062 Swift Code: VIJBINBBMLR, Falnir Branch, Mangaluru.