Warm claps and flower petals greeted nurse Pratika Pradhan when she returned home in the hills on Wednesday after recovering from Covid-19, a viral infection which widened the distance among individuals elsewhere in Bengal and the country.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Pratika gave her consent to be identified, which is also indicative of the faith she has in her society.

“I did not know such a welcome had been planned for me. I was moved, I was emotional but since I do not shed tears easily, I could control myself. The gesture was however moving and motivating,” said Pratika.

Residents who had lined along the road at Tindharia showered petals on the nurse. Parents even brought their children to welcome Pratika and many were seen weeping when she alighted from her car.

The nurse who has been working at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri since 2019 was among those who were involved in the treatment of a Covid-19 patient from Kalimpong who subsequently succumbed to the disease.

“I first tested negative. I was again asked to undertake a test on April 4 and made to stay at the north Bengal hospital. All along I was confident that my results would be negative,” the nurse said.

The following day, the test results showed positive and it was clear that she was an asymptomatic patient.

The test result did shock her. “I did not know how to break the news to my parent, brother and relatives but then I had to,” she confessed.

The patient was shifted to Dr Chhangs Super Specialty Hospital Pvt Ltd, the dedicated centre for Covid-19 treatment in Siliguri, and Pratika soon realised that she had to “stay positive.”

Emotional and mental support was what she needed the most.

“My parents and specially my nursing staff provided me with the much needed emotional support. I used to constantly talk to them over the phone, video chat with them and this helped me a lot,” said the nurse who admitted that she would “at times fear” about her condition deteriorating.

“I finally realised that unwanted thoughts would only stress me further and so, I decided to take away the negative thoughts away from me,” said Pratika.

Upon her discharge on Tuesday, Pratika had expressed her desire to go back to work.

Mahesh Sewa, a famous Nepali singer who stays about 200m from Pratika’s house at Golay Pakha, said the community was “proud” of the nurse.

“She expressed her desire to get back to work and all of us at the village were very proud of her statement. We wanted to salute her courage and that is why everyone came forward spontaneously to accord her a warm welcome,” said Sewa.

Pratika is now in 14-day home quarantine. She stays in a joint family consisting of 19 members.

Sewa said: “The grand welcome for the nurse also reflects the strong community bonding in the hills. This is something that has always stood out from many other regions in the country.”

Pratika also stressed the support provided by “the doctors and medical staff at the nursing home, GTA chief Anit Thapa, Binny Sharma (GTA helpline coordinator in Siliguri) and the state government.”

“I did not have to pay for the treatment,” she said.