Tuning into life: Purav’s journey to sound
Purav didn’t speak, not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t hear. His parents searched for answers and found hope in a tiny device. This is the story of how a cochlear implant helped Purav tune into life.
For most parents, a baby’s first word is a milestone filled with joy. But for some, that milestone is delayed—not because the child isn't ready to speak, but because they can’t hear.
Hearing impairment in new-borns is an invisible challenge. Infants with profound hearing loss often appear healthy, alert and active. Since they can’t express what they can’t hear, the signs can go unnoticed for years—robbing them of the most vital foundation for learning spoken language.
Thankfully, with today’s medical advancements, early detection is possible through simple, painless tests like Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) screening. And for children diagnosed with significant hearing loss, cochlear implants—remarkable bionic devices that bypass damaged parts of the inner ear to directly stimulate the auditory nerve—offer a second chance at sound. But time is critical. Early diagnosis, timely surgery and dedicated therapy are key to ensuring these children can truly find their voice.
The Tata Trusts, through its Individual Grants Programme (IGP), have been offering these families—support not just for surgeries, but the long journey of auditory and speech rehabilitation that follows.
One such child is Purav Bhute, born in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh.
Bright-eyed, energetic and full of life, Purav seemed to be growing like any other child. But as months passed, his parents noticed something was missing—his words. While other children his age began to babble and form sentences, Purav remained silent.
At first, they thought he was simply a late bloomer. But as the silence stretched on, concern turned into worry.
It wasn’t easy for his parents to accept that their son could speak but couldn’t hear . The news was overwhelming, and the path ahead unclear. But hope began to shine through as they spoke with other families whose children had undergone cochlear implantation, and were now thriving . Slowly, they began to believe that sound—and speech—could still be a part of Purav’s future.
In October 2024, at the age of three years and three months, Purav underwent cochlear implant surgery at Orange City Hospital and Research Institute (OCHRI), Nagpur—a facility supported by the Tata Trusts. He received the Cochlear 422 Implant with a Nucleus 7S sound processor, and his journey into a world of sound began.
Few months after activation, the transformation was taking root. Purav now turns when his name is called. He reacts with delight and curiosity to everyday sounds—the bark of a dog, the ring of a doorbell. He follows simple instructions, participates in group therapy, and is steadily working on building his language skills through regular auditory-verbal therapy sessions—with his family by his side every step of the way.
It’s not a miracle. But it’s a journey filled with milestones, each one hard-won and deeply meaningful. With time, love and continued therapy, Purav’s world is slowly filling with words, songs and stories.
The Tata Trusts, in collaboration with its partners, are helping children like Purav not just hear—but truly tune into life, embracing every sound, word and moment.
In 2024-25, the Tata Trusts supported 158 cochlear implants through their strategic partnerships.
