For much of India, she was known simply as the "Mowgli girl" — a child discovered alone near a forest, seemingly detached from the world around her. But behind that label was a young girl named Ehsaas, whose life became a remarkable story of rescue, care and rehabilitation.
Ehsaas first came into the spotlight in January 2017 when she was spotted wandering on a road in the Motipur range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich district. (HT File Photo )
Nearly nine years after she was found wandering in the forests of Uttar Pradesh's Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Ehsaas died at the age of 18 in Lucknow. Officials said she passed away at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) on June 15, earlier HT reported .
According to the post-mortem report, the cause of death was septicaemia resulting from lung disease.
Who was the 'Mowgli girl'?
Ehsaas first came into the spotlight in January 2017 when she was spotted wandering on a road in the Motipur range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich district.
Also read | ‘ Mowgli girl’ dies at 18 in Lucknow after years of rehabilitation
At the time, she appeared to have had very limited contact with human society. 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 girl".
After her rescue, the Child Welfare Committee in Bahraich initially named her Pooja. She was later renamed Ehsaas and shifted to the Mohaan Road-based Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Grih Visheshikrit in Lucknow, where she spent most of her life.
A long road to rehabilitation
According to Nirvan Foundation chairman Suresh Singh Dhapola, years of medical treatment, care and rehabilitation gradually helped Ehsaas adjust to life around people.
Over time, she learned to wear clothes, identify caregivers and respond to affection. One of her closest relationships was with caretaker Rani, whom she lovingly called "Amma".
“She used to call me Amma. I always hoped she would recover further. Now, all we have are her memories,” Rani said.
Health challenges persisted
Despite years of rehabilitation, doctors found that Ehsaas' brain had remained severely underdeveloped, leaving her with intellectual disabilities. She also suffered from recurrent 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 on June 11 when her condition improved. However, her health deteriorated again on June 15.
According to ACP (Ghazipur) Anindiya Vikram Singh, she was rushed back to the hospital but died shortly after arrival. Police completed the inquest proceedings following the hospital's death memo.
For many Indians, Ehsaas remained the "Mowgli girl" discovered in a forest. For those who cared for her over the years, she was a young woman whose life reflected both the challenges and possibilities of rehabilitation after an extraordinary beginning.
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India