Sat Mehta

Flying with a Broken Wing Sat Mehta

Flying with a Broken Wing tells the true story of a boy growing up in India in turbulent times. Sat Mehta was five years old when he and his family became refugees, caught up in the biggest migration in modern history at the time of Independence. His home was destroyed, his uncle murdered. Once very wealthy farmers, the Mehtas became destitute. Later, Sat suffered a broken arm - complications set in and amputation seemed inevitable. As he lay in hospital, a world famous surgeon, Professor Robert Roaf, strode on to the ward, choosing "hopeless cases" to help. Sat got a second chance. The gratitude he felt for the great man's skill shaped the rest of Sat's life. He qualified as a doctor and arrived in England, where he has lived and worked for 30 years. He says of his life: "It is a story of a disappearing world, sadhus, snakes and baking sun, monkeys, monsoons and riot and murder. As a boy, I saw it all".