Rakhi eve has been all about a sweet surprise to the doctors at Delhi's Max Hospital in Saket and Max Hospital in Gurgaon.

Children from SOS Children's Villages of India, a pan-India NGO, at Greenfields, Faridabad, have sent handmade 'rakhis' and greetings cards to doctors, nurses and other staff of Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital in Saket and Max Hospital, Gurgaon, a spokesperson of the hospital group said on Saturday, adding that a similar gesture has been made by children of the NGO for doctors and others at All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar too.

Some of these children include the ones rendered orphan due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

The gesture by the children is to express their love and appreciation for the healthcare professionals fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital authorities said.

Raksha Bandhan is an age-old tradition of celebrating the sacred relationship between a brother and a sister. The occasion is marked by tying a decorative thread that signifies a 'safety cover' on the wrists of brothers by their sisters, both related by blood or having an emotional bond.

A large number of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and other staff, have died in the line of duty in the fight against the pandemic.

The 'rakhis' and cards carry words of love and gratitude. The children's gesture has overwhelmed the entire team of Max Healthcare hospitals, the spokesperson said.

Arpita Mukherjee, vice president of operation, Max Hospital, Gurgaon said, "Rakhi is an occasion for the celebration of faith and duty. Our healthcare professionals have been at the frontline during the pandemic with untiring efforts to help patients. We thank the children from the NGO for lifting our spirit."

Settling over four generations of once parentless or abandoned children of the country, SOS Children's Villages of India has served for over 56 years till now, according to the NGO's website.

Sumanta Kar, Secretary General of SOS Children's Villages of India, said, "Our children are well aware of the sacrifices the doctors, nurses, and administrators of hospitals make to save lives during the ongoing pandemic. Therefore, they came up with the idea of sending rakhis and handmade cards to medical professionals."

Making 'rakhis' and cards is an art in itself. It has brought out creative juices flowing in our children. The children also had an opportunity to understand the profound meaning of this age-old tradition and appreciate Indian culture, he said.?

(With PTI Inputs)