Anita Desai is an Indian writer known for realistic stories about family life and relationships. "A Devoted Son" is one of her well-known short stories. It is set in a middle-class Indian family living in a small, shabby colony at the edge of a city, close to where rubbish vans dump their waste. The family is not wealthy. The father, Mr. Varma, worked for forty years at a kerosene dealer's depot, and before him, his own father sold vegetables in the market. Neither of Rakesh's parents had much education. This background is important because it makes Rakesh's later success even more remarkable, and it also explains why his parents sacrificed so much to give him a good education. The story shows how far a child can rise above his family's humble beginnings, but it also asks a difficult question: does success in a career always mean success as a son?
Rakesh touches his father's feet on the morning his exam results are announced.
The Announcement and Celebration
The story begins on the morning the exam results are published. Rakesh runs to check the papers, still in his pajamas and barefoot, and finds out he has topped the entire country. He goes straight to his father, who is sitting on the verandah drinking tea, and bows down to touch his feet before saying anything else. This single action becomes very important to his father, who repeats it proudly to every visitor that day. In Indian culture, touching an elder's feet is a strong sign of respect and humility, so this small act tells the neighbourhood that Rakesh is not only brilliant but also a good, respectful son.
The whole day turns into a celebration. Visitors come from all over to congratulate the family. There are garlands, sweets like halwa, new clothes, and gifts such as fountain pens and watches. However, not everyone is completely happy for the family. Some neighbours mutter that Mr. Varma is "giving himself airs," reminding each other that his own father used to sell vegetables. This shows a mixture of admiration and quiet jealousy among the neighbours.
The author also gently makes fun of the father's growing pride through a small detail about language. After Rakesh's success, the father insists on calling the country Rakesh goes to "the USA," a term he considers grand, while mocking his neighbours for using the simpler word "America." This small joke shows how quickly a family's pride can turn into a kind of showing-off.
Rakesh becomes a respected doctor abroad, then chooses to return home.
Rakesh's Rise and Marriage
Rakesh's success does not stop there. His thesis for his medical degree brings him further respect, and he wins a scholarship to study in the United States, where he works at a prestigious hospital. Despite this glamorous opportunity, Rakesh chooses to return home to the same small, shabby house. On entering the house, once again, the very first thing he does is bow down to touch his father's feet.
His mother is especially relieved that Rakesh has not married an American woman. Instead, Rakesh agrees to marry a girl his mother has chosen from her own village — Veena, who is uneducated, plump, and old-fashioned, but calm, quiet, and easy to live with. She fits into the household smoothly, never causing arguments.
Rakesh becomes the richest and most respected doctor in town.
For some years, Rakesh works at the city hospital, quickly becoming a top administrator before being made a director. Eventually, he builds his own clinic. He drives his parents there in his new sky-blue Ambassador car to show them the large sign-board with his name and qualifications. He becomes known as not only the best but also the richest doctor in town.
All of this success takes an entire lifetime to build. By the time Rakesh's clinic is fully established, his father has grown old and retired, and soon after, his mother dies. Her death is described as a peaceful one, because it is her own son, the doctor, who cares for her personally in her final illness.
After his wife's death, Mr. Varma becomes weak, old and lonely.
The Turning Point: Old Age and Control
Everything changes after Rakesh's mother dies. Old Mr. Varma, now retired, becomes weak and often ill. Because Rakesh is a doctor, he takes strict control of his father's diet. He removes fried food, sweets, and anything rich, believing this will protect his father's health. But his father does not feel cared for — he feels punished. His food is even weighed out like a patient's, and he loses the freedom to eat what he wants.
Desperate for a small pleasure, the old man secretly gives his grandson coins to buy him jalebis, a sweet food. When Rakesh finds out, he is angry — not because his father is unhappy, but because he worries about honesty and hygiene. He scolds both his father and his son.
Rakesh controls his father's diet strictly, treating him like a patient.
The old man complains often to his neighbour, Bhatia, saying that his own son does not give him enough to eat. He feels he has lost his place as a father in the house. Now, instead of being treated as a father, he feels like a patient controlled by his son the doctor. As his health worsens, medicines and pills slowly replace natural food entirely. When he begs Rakesh to let him die instead of living only to take medicine, Rakesh dismisses this as unreasonable, insisting that he is only doing his duty.
The Climax
The story reaches its climax one evening when Rakesh returns home, as always, and goes straight to his father, calling him "papa" warmly and reaching to press his feet. But this time, his father pulls his feet away and refuses to respond warmly. When Rakesh offers him a new tonic, promising it will make him stronger, the old man finally reaches his breaking point. He refuses the medicine completely and violently sweeps the bottle out of his son's hand. It smashes, staining Rakesh's white trousers. In the confusion that follows, the old man simply lies back down and says that God is calling him and that his family should finally let him go.
The old man refuses the tonic and cries out that God is calling him.
Theme and Message
The story ends without telling us whether the old man actually dies or recovers, leaving readers to reflect on the deeper meaning of devotion. Rakesh never once fails in his duties as a doctor — he provides medicine, food, shelter, and constant medical attention. But he fails to see his father as a person with feelings, preferences, and the right to make his own choices, rather than simply a patient to be managed. Desai's story suggests that being a truly devoted son requires more than fulfilling responsibilities correctly — it requires listening to what an aging parent actually wants, and respecting their dignity and freedom, even when this conflicts with what seems medically "best."
Key Points to Remember
Rakesh — intelligent, hardworking, and outwardly respectful; but later becomes controlling, treating his father like a patient rather than a father.
Mr. Varma — proud father in his youth; becomes weak, lonely, and unhappy in old age, losing his freedom and voice in the family.
Veena — calm and easy-going on the surface, but not always warm or honest in her feelings toward her father-in-law.
Theme — True devotion means caring for a person's feelings and freedom, not only their physical health.
Study this summary carefully to answer exam questions on plot, character, and theme in "A Devoted Son."