Rudrani Devi
Nashvillian Survivor Shares Mumbai Terrorists Attack Story
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville woman who dodged terrorists' bullets in Mumbai, cheated death and wound-up lying only inches from a ticking hand grenade has decided to share her story only with NewsChannel 5.
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Rudrani Devi said she's a changed woman who used positive thinking to help her stay alive.
"I have a fractured femur," Devi said with a smile about her reminder of Mumbai.
Ambush gunmen might have shattered Devi's right leg, but not her spirit.
"I never felt fearful; it was strange. I felt a calmness that was this overwhelming calmness."
Keeping her wits about her, Devi's convinced it was her positive thinking that saved her life as she and a hotel restaurant full of people were fired upon randomly.
"We got under the table, but within seconds there was gunfire on us."
The terrorists, armed with automatic assault rifles, riddled the crowd without uttering a word. Devi said she remembers thinking "we're still alive. I'm still hearing gunfire, but we're still alive. Maybe if we play dead, we'll be OK."
"Everybody was killed in that restaurant with the exception of four of us under the table," Devi said.
But that table did not spare Devi's friend of 14-years Alan Scherr nor his 13-year-old daughter, Naomi.
Devi's pal, Michael Ruder, a Canadian actor, and fellow Nashvillian Linda Ragsdale both survived.
Devi, who once went by the name Andi Varagona, is a longtime executive producer in the music video business who endured nearly two-weeks in a Mumbai hospital.
Now home and healing, Devi and her husband, Santos a supervising producer at CMT, have been sharing their story - a story that allows them to shed light on the darkest moment of Devi's life. Ironic, perhaps, Devi and her friends were in India for a two-week peace and meditation retreat, and violence was what they found.
The couple said they were ready to embrace the New Year that will surely bring new rewards. As for a return trip to Mumbai?
"Oh yeah. Absolutely. Bar none," Devi said about wanting to return to Mumbai.
The FBI said they were investigating those terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which is standard when Americans are targeted - even if it is on foreign soil.
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article courtesy of: newschannel5.com
Posted 01/01/2009
Visit newschannel5.com article >>
Rudrani Devi said she's a changed woman who used positive thinking to help her stay alive.
"I have a fractured femur," Devi said with a smile about her reminder of Mumbai.
Ambush gunmen might have shattered Devi's right leg, but not her spirit.
"I never felt fearful; it was strange. I felt a calmness that was this overwhelming calmness."
Keeping her wits about her, Devi's convinced it was her positive thinking that saved her life as she and a hotel restaurant full of people were fired upon randomly.
"We got under the table, but within seconds there was gunfire on us."
The terrorists, armed with automatic assault rifles, riddled the crowd without uttering a word. Devi said she remembers thinking "we're still alive. I'm still hearing gunfire, but we're still alive. Maybe if we play dead, we'll be OK."
"Everybody was killed in that restaurant with the exception of four of us under the table," Devi said.
But that table did not spare Devi's friend of 14-years Alan Scherr nor his 13-year-old daughter, Naomi.
Devi's pal, Michael Ruder, a Canadian actor, and fellow Nashvillian Linda Ragsdale both survived.
Devi, who once went by the name Andi Varagona, is a longtime executive producer in the music video business who endured nearly two-weeks in a Mumbai hospital.
Now home and healing, Devi and her husband, Santos a supervising producer at CMT, have been sharing their story - a story that allows them to shed light on the darkest moment of Devi's life. Ironic, perhaps, Devi and her friends were in India for a two-week peace and meditation retreat, and violence was what they found.
The couple said they were ready to embrace the New Year that will surely bring new rewards. As for a return trip to Mumbai?
"Oh yeah. Absolutely. Bar none," Devi said about wanting to return to Mumbai.
The FBI said they were investigating those terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which is standard when Americans are targeted - even if it is on foreign soil.
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article courtesy of: newschannel5.com
