Child born on 26/11 stares at uncertain future on third birthday

She was born in the shadow of terror and no surprises, was named Goli. Too young to wrap her head around the significance of her birth — and its date, she's set to turn three with the anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks.

Goli alias Tejaswani was born at the time Ajmal Kasab and his accomplice, Abu Ismail, were just a few feet away in the corridors of the Cama and Albless Hospital, having already shot dead five people in the hospital and 58 at CST.

But now, her parents are running from pillar to post to get her enrolled in a school.

"I want her to serve the nation. I want her to be in the Indian army or become a police officer," says mother Viju Chavan. While she attends to her three children in her 20sqft-house in Cuffe Parade's Ambedkar Nagar slum, husband Shamu Chavan gazes at them — tenderly, anxiously.

His average monthly income is just Rs2,000-Rs3,000, which is not enough to get Goli into a "good school". "It will be great if the government can help us fulfil our dream to see her become an army officer," he hopes.

Chavan is all set to send an aid request letter to state home minister RR Patil. The attacks are etched so deep in the Chavans' mind that they refuse to celebrate Goli's birthday. "We just light a candle as a mark of respect to the people who died," said Chavan.