In most parts of India, she was known simply as “Mowgli’s Girl” – a child who was discovered alone near a forest, seemingly disconnected from the world around her. But behind that label was a little girl named Ehsas, whose life became a remarkable story of rescue, care and rehabilitation.
Nearly nine years after she was found wandering in the forests of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, Ehsaas died at the age of 18 in Lucknow. Officials said she died at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) on June 15, HT had reported earlier.
According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was blood poisoning caused by a lung disease.
Who was “Mowgli’s girl”?
Ehsas first came into the limelight in January 2017 when she was spotted wandering on a road in the Motipur range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich district.
Read also | ‘Mowgli girl died at the age of 18 in Lucknow after years of rehabilitation
At that time, it seemed that her contact with human society was very limited. She walked on all fours, avoided people, refused to wear clothes and communicated through screams and gestures. The circumstances of her discovery led many to compare her to Rudyard Kipling’s fictional jungle child, Mowgli, earning her the nickname “Mowgli’s Girl”.
After her rescue, the Bahraich Child Welfare Committee initially named her Pooja. It was later renamed Ehsaas and moved to Mohan Road based Nirvan Rajkiya Pal Grih Visheshkrit in Lucknow, where she spent most of her life.
Long road to rehabilitation
According to Nirvan Foundation Chairman Suresh Singh Dabola, years of medical treatment, care and rehabilitation gradually helped Ehsaas adapt to life around people.
Over time, she learned to dress, recognize caregivers, and respond to affection. One of her close relationships was with her caretaker Rani, whom she lovingly called “Amma”.
“She used to call me ‘Mama’,” Rani said. “I always hoped she would recover better. Now, all we have are her memories.”
Health challenges continued
Despite years of rehabilitation, doctors found that Ehsas’s brain remained severely underdeveloped, leaving her with an intellectual disability. She also suffered from recurring epileptic seizures and remained under treatment for years.
Earlier this month, she was admitted to hospital on June 8 after falling ill and was discharged from hospital on June 11 when her condition improved. However, her health deteriorated again on June 15.
According to ACP (Ghazipur) Anindya Vikram Singh, she was rushed to hospital but died soon after her arrival. The police completed investigation procedures after the death warrant issued by the hospital.
For many Indians, the feeling of the “Mowgli girl” who was discovered in the jungle remained. For those who cared for her over the years, she was a young woman whose life reflected the challenges and possibilities of rehabilitation after an unusual beginning.
