Piyush Chawla, cricketer

Advik is 15 months now. He is getting naughtier by the day. We had to wait for almost 10 hours for the delivery and eventually go in for a C-section. The gynaecologist asked me to come into the operation theatre. I said I cannot, it’s very tough for me. I was just waiting outside. After around 45 minutes, a doctor came out with a baby. I literally jumped on the kid! The doctor said it wasn’t my baby! (Laughs) We had to wait for another 15 minutes and the same doctor came out with another kid and he said, ‘This is your kid!’

I was speechless to be honest. I was very scared to hold him. He was so delicate. He was born at 7.07pm in the evening and we finally got to ‘meet meet him’ at 11.30 in the night.

It took me three days to hold him properly. I used to play with his small hands and feet. The nurse was like ‘just try picking him up’. I was like… ‘sorry, I cannot’. She helped me out… picked up Advik and put him in my lap. I sat with him for 15-20 minutes. That was a different feeling altogether.

A lot of things have changed in me. I used to be carefree. The biggest change that has come in me is that I have become careful. I was like chal yaar jo hoga dekha jayega. Now, I think through all the decisions. I make sure things go well and that it doesn’t affect my health or anyone’s health. I have started looking at things in a more mature way. Parenting comes instinctively, but there are a few things for which you always have the elders to help you with. He has started to walk recently in the last 20 days or so. I just make sure I am walking around with him so that I am there to hold him if he falls. Also, when he started talking for the first time… all the ‘first times’ give me goosebumps.

Abir Chatterjee, actor

After becoming a father, I have become more emotional and stronger as a person. The level of responsibility has gone up. After becoming a father, I feel I have become more attached to my parents. That’s been the biggest realisation for me. I have become more understanding and less judgemental about my parents and seniors. I have become more attached to my in-laws also. When I am away for shoots, I get to see her (daughter Mayurakshi) and talk to her through video calls. I know she is just a WhatsApp call away. Also, cuddling and being cuddled has gone up exponentially. 

Rupam, singer-songwriter

After becoming a father, I realised that being a father is a mental journey. I started travelling both to the past and the future. When I look at Rup, I think of his future and at the same time I go back to my relationship with my father. So before becoming a father I was travelling in only one direction — the future. Now I travel in two directions — the future and the past.

After becoming a father, I have composed many songs on the father-son relationship where I talk about not just my relationship with my son but also my relationship with my father.

Once a week Rup sleeps alone with me in our music room. It is our camping time — the mosquito net is our tent. It is usually a Saturday, so he can stay awake as late as he wants and we do our thing — watch movies, play with his superhero toys and listen to music.  

Robin Uthappa, cricketer

Fatherhood is an amazing feeling and something I believe every person must experience in whatever form possible. I realised how privileged and blessed I am to experience parenthood. I’d best be able to describe it as being an honour!

Sheets (wife Sheethal Goutham) and I were both in tears of joy when we first held Neale Nolan Uthappa. He’s just turned eight months old. It was overwhelming and it’s hard to describe in words.

I did do a little reading about becoming a daddy but also trusted that my instincts would take over and surprisingly it has revealed to me a side of myself I did not know existed.

I think fatherhood has given me a strong sense of responsibility and gratitude to the almighty to have blessed me with the responsibility of having a baby and being able to instill values and impact him so directly. I just love being around Neale Nolan. He is such a good baby. He’s funny and talkative like his mommy and very intense like I am. Every day with him is a joyous learning experience.

Text: Saionee Chakraborty and Arindam Chatterjee