A simple crew change plan turned into an emotional journey of loss, gratitude and global brotherhood at sea and on shore. This is a story of how a Croatian master mariner, an Indian captain, compassionate doctors and a caring company came together to create a powerful example of humanity in action.
When timing becomes a blessing
In October 2025, my husband Capt. Rajesh Todiwan was onboard, with his sign off planned around the end of October or first week of November, as part of the regular crew change cycle with Capt. Alexander Mikic, a seasoned master mariner from Croatia. Both are highly respected seafarers, my husband having sailed for over three decades and Capt. Mikic adding another decade to that. Over the years their back to back pattern had become a rhythm of trust, style and mutual respect. Their only real ‘demand,’ if it can be called that, was simple: timely sign-ons and sign-offs, something every seafarer quietly hopes for.
The plan was that Capt. Mikic would be on board by 15 October and my husband would sign off accordingly. In fact the crew change happened on the 10th, bringing him home on the 11th. I was relieved because my in laws were very unwell, in a way that only life can script, their son reached home just on time. They both chose to continue their onward journey, leaving us in shock as we lost both parents within a span of five days. The only solace in that heartbreaking time was that their beloved son was by their side to say his final goodbye. In my heart I felt deep gratitude for Capt. Mikic, whose arrival on board earlier made that possible.
A captain’s health and a call from the heart
By mid November, we heard that Capt. Mikic was facing serious health issues with severe back problems making his daily functioning difficult on board. The company asked if my husband could relieve him when the vessel docked in our city but with the paperwork after his parents’ passing and the rituals that needed to be performed, he could not join back immediately. One morning my husband received a message from Capt. Mikic saying he was in Mumbai, had undergone a surgery and would be happy to meet if convenient. When I read the message, it felt more than a polite invitation, it sounded like a longing to see someone familiar in a foreign land; to share and to be heard.
He joked about how the doctors would not allow sweets but said he would love some elaichi bananas, the tiny fragrant bananas popular in India. I sensed warmth and a feeling of belonging in that simple wish. We decided to visit him after speaking with Dr. Harigopal Subudhi, the company doctor with a proud Armed Forces background, our trust and comfort level rose even higher because that shared service ethos always brings a special reassurance. Both Rajesh and I come from Armed Forces background.
Family in a hospital room
We reached Wockhardt Hospital at Mumbai Central, a leading multi-speciality facility known for its advanced neurology and spine care and went straight to Capt. Mikic’s room where the nursing staff were attending to him with efficiency. The moment he saw us his face lit up; I was the surprise element he was not expecting me. I had met him a couple of years earlier; he turned to the staff and announced that his ‘family from Mumbai’ had arrived, making sure no one thought he was alone here. That one word ‘family’ touched me deeply because in India when someone calls you family, it carries emotional weight, responsibility and affection.
He first offered his condolences for the loss of my in-laws and then with tears in his eyes shared that he too had lost his mother earlier in November but his health and circumstances meant he could not be there for her final journey. As we spoke about parents, customs, rituals and the road ahead, the conversation became less about illness and more about shared grief, cross-cultural understanding and the comfort of simply being present for each other.
Meeting the doctors who heal with skill and warmth
During our visit Dr. Hari came in on his regular round to see Capt. Mikic, it was reassuring to get a clear medical update and to discover common ground through our naval and armed forces connections along with mutual acquaintances from the medical fraternity.
A little later, the surgeon who had performed the crucial spine procedure, Dr. Keval Shukla entered the room; although it was our first formal meeting, I already knew that he is regarded as an accomplished brain and spine surgeon with expertise in minimally invasive and endoscopic spine surgeries in Mumbai.
As any family member would do, I connected with him as an advocate or a local guardian for the patient, sharing the nature of a seafarer’s life, the recent loss of his mother and the emotional weight of recovery so far from home. In fact in my heart it felt more like a prayer than a request when I asked him to take special care of Mikic. He listened with kindness, explained the entire course of treatment, the surgery and the impressive speed of recovery in simple terms. His warm smile reminded me how much it matters in healing. Before leaving we exchanged numbers so that I could follow up on Mikic’s progress. Mindful of Mumbai’s evening traffic, we stepped out with a sense of relief that he was in such capable hands.
Small visits, big impact
Later we received a beautiful message from Mikic expressing how happy he was to see us and two days after that I visited him again with my sons, as my husband was away on important work. He was delighted to meet the boys and spoke to them about their father, about the responsibilities and respect attached to being a master mariner. He then in true captain style slipped in some life lessons that only years at sea can teach. He kept telling us that he was taking a very special experience back from India, comparing it fondly with other places he had seen around the world; emphasizing how different the warmth and care here felt to him.
He spoke glowingly about the staff at Wockhardt; how attentive they were, how good the food was and how the overall environment made him feel safe and supported. These are observations that align with the hospital’s reputation for strong nursing care, advanced infrastructure and a patient focused approach. When he spoke of Dr. Shukla, his words were filled with gratitude and admiration, describing him as a beautiful person who was always smiling, gentle and reassuring.
Life falling back in my hands
At one point, Capt. Mikic said something that stayed with me. He said, “I owe this speedy recovery from such a crucial surgery to Dr. Keval Shukla. I handed my life to him when I reached the hospital; bent 90 degrees and in pain and today my life is back in my hands again.” That line, simple yet profound, captured the essence of trust between a patient and a doctor, especially when you are far from home and your body refuses to cooperate.
For me, coming from the hospitality industry and being an educator and trainer, this experience framed medical care not just as a clinical service but as an extension of Indian hospitality – ‘Athithi devo bhava’, which means the Guest is God.
India has steadily built a strong reputation for medical tourism, offering advanced treatments, experienced specialists and accredited hospitals at comparatively affordable costs, combined with a cultural instinct to care with heart and soul. In that room, Dr. Shukla became the human face of this ecosystem; not just for Capt. Mikic but for us as a family, reinforcing the belief that world class healthcare and deep human connection can coexist beautifully.
Gratitude, expectations and the humility of healers
A day before leaving, Mikic told me he wanted to do something special for Dr. Shukla, perhaps arrange for a dinner as a gesture of gratitude. I as his friend and as a person who understands the relationship dynamics in India, told him that a sincere, heartfelt ‘thank you’ would be appropriate. When I spoke to Dr. Shukla about this, he smiled and said Mikic himself had contributed greatly to his recovery by listening carefully and following all advice and that he would genuinely miss him. He stressed that he did not expect anything from his patients and that he was simply doing his duty, a value he said he had imbibed from his seniors in neurosurgery mentioning Dr. Abhaya Kumar as one of them.
That humility is precisely what makes doctors in this country almost divine in the eyes of many and I felt immense gratitude thinking of my own support circle of doctors who have stood by our family over the years with consistent care and commitment. Doctors should blend technical excellence with empathy, a combination that modern healthcare desperately needs.
A hospital, a company and a culture of care
Wockhardt Hospital at Mumbai Central impressed us not only with its medical expertise but also with its systems and culture of care from the nursing staff to the administrative efficiency, echoing it’s positioning as a modern, accredited facility that attracts both domestic and international patients for complex treatments at competitive prices. For a country like India, this blend of high quality medical intervention, reasonable costs and emotionally intelligent care giving represents a powerful opportunity to be a trusted destination for patients from around the world seeking both healing and human touch.
On the maritime side, this story also highlighted the values of OSM Thome as an organization that truly stands by its seafarers and their families, reflecting the wider emphasis the company places on crew welfare, health support and family care through dedicated programs and responsive HR practices. Over the years, I have experienced this first-hand in the way they accommodated my husband’s situation when my mother-in-law was bedridden. The way their HR Ms. Sanja Bjelanovic from Croatia office and Mansi from Mumbai reached out after my in-laws passing and now in the thoughtful support extended to Capt. Mikic; from facilitating treatment to planning his discharge and journey home.
Brotherhood beyond borders
As I look back at those weeks, what stands out is not just the sequence of events – crew changes, hospital visits, rituals and recoveries but the quiet strength of human connections woven through them. This is the true spirit of universal brotherhood that seafaring often teaches: oceans may separate countries but shared values, kindness and professionalism bring people together in unexpected ways. And for me, as a hospitality educator and as a woman who has lived life alongside the sea through my husband’s career, this experience reaffirmed a simple belief – when work is done with heart, whether on a ship, in a hospital or in an office, it touches lives far beyond what any of us can see. This fills my heart gratitude!
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