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The Rediff Special/ Nagindas Shah

The 'Mercy Man' of Ahmedabad

V Gangadhar

Who was the Ahmedabad citizen to spend Rs 3.9 million in 1998-99, Rs 3.6 million in 1997-98 and Rs 3.2 million in the previous year? A textile magnate? The traditional millionaire from the affluent Shahibaug area? One of the younger playboys?

The answer is NO. The man in question is of medium height, dark, ordinary looking, dressed in white pyjama and kurta and in his late sixties. He is Nagindas Shah.

Want to know how he spends all that money? Come with me on a round of the crowded Vadilal Sarabhai Hospital at Ellis Bridge, run by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

Accompanied by three or four volunteers, Nagindasbhai takes daily rounds of the wards locating poor and lower-middle-class patients who cannot afford the treatment. They are in the hospital after selling off the family land, jewellery or other assets. These patients are 'adopted ' by Naginbhai who helps them to pay for the medicines, provides them with artificial limbs and also supplies them with fruits and biscuits.

Who are these patients and what is their family background like? 17-year old Arun Ranchodbhai of Gandhinagar, a student of Standard X, suffered serious burns while lighting the stove in his home.

His father a former textile mill worker made a living from the family's one bigha land and two buffaloes. They sold off these for Rs 25,000 to treat their only son whose medical bills during the first three months rose to Rs 20,000. It was then the family was spotted by Nagindasbhai and his aides. They adopted the patient, paid for his remaining treatment which came to Rs 10,000. Today, Arun is normal and back at his school.

Jehangir Karimbhai Pathan of Jamalpur, Ahmedabad, an autorickshaw driver had to look after his wife, sister, parents and six daughters. Seriously injured in a collision, Pathan was hospitalised and saddled with bills for about Rs 25,000. He got small loans from his neighbours and then sold off his rickshaw. The family jewellery was pawned. Pathan was worried about the future of his family, when Nagindasbhai's group came to his help. They paid all his medical bills, and helped to get back the family jewellery. Pathan, is now back on the road, driving his rickshaw.

"We locate around 50 to 60 poor patients daily," explained Nagindasbhai who was recently in Mumbai. In fact, he is an old friend and I had followed his work with admiration for more than 25 years. His organisation is called, 'Dardiyonu Rahat Fund'.

Started in 1964, it has so far spent nearly Rs 30 million in helping 3,13,000 patients with medicines, artificial limbs, ear phones and three-wheel bicyles for the physically handicapped.

Once a patient is chosen, his expenses are taken care of till he completely recovers. The Fund has provided patients with heart valves which cost around Rs 50,000. Patients who underwent kidney transplant surgery were helped with drugs worth Rs 4,000 a month. Tuberculosis patients were provided with free drugs for 15 days a month. "Since we cannot manage everything, we request patients to seek help from other sources too," pointed out Naginbhai. "But if they are helpless, we take over completely."

How were the patients chosen for help? "I had been doing this work for nearly 40 years," said Naginbhai. "I can spot a needy case easily. Of course, some of the middle class patients were embarrassed to ask for charity and help, but our understanding and sympathy helped to break this barrier. Occasionally, we may be cheated by someone who can afford treatment yet still seek help from us. But it is all in the game."

The money comes from donations and an annual cultural programme. In 1964, 'Dardionu Rahat Fund' collected Rs 3,500 and spent Rs 2,700. Last year, the income was Rs 3.8 million and the expenditure Rs 3.9 million.

Besides V S Hospital, the fund also helps patients at the Jivraj and Jubilee hospitals in Ahmedabad.

Collecting money to help the poor and the needy, was not so difficult. Nagindasbhai found this out in 1964.

A native of Degham, near Ahmedabad, Nagindasbhai was not a stranger to poverty. When he was six, his father helped a poor widow who lived close by, to buy a buffalo and make a living selling the milk.

She repaid the loan from the sale of mill. "I was around six then," recollected Nagindasbhai. "Whenever I went to the widow's home, she would offer me fresh milk and bless my father. It was a wonderful feeling, I mean helping the poor and receiving their blessings."

After his father died, Nagindasbhai settled down in Ahmedabad. He did some odd jobs and was frustrated by the kind of life he led. How could he help others when he himself was in need of help? In fact, Nagindasbhai was unemployed, when his son was down with a serious asthma attack and admitted at the Gulabbhai Hospital. Next to his cot, was the only son of an old widow. He needed surgery and the mother had no money. In fact, she was about to go home with her son when fate intervened.

"I was moved by the plight of the old woman," said Nagindasbhai. "Even though I did not have any money, I went out and explained her plight to some of my friends. They gave me Rs 20, which I gave to the woman to buy medicines." He persuaded the old woman to have the surgery performed on her son and sought further donations from friends. "They were all ready to help," recalled Nagindasbhai.

"Some gave Rs 10, others Rs 20 and a few Rs 50. No one questioned how I spent the money." The operation was performed, the boy recovered and the old woman went home, after blessing Nagindasbhai.

The blessings seemed to have worked. Nagindasbhai's own son quickly recovered from his asthmatic attack. He secured the Ahmedabad agency for a pipe fitting firm from Calcutta which brought him a reasonable income. But his mind was always at the hospital. "Don't give up the good work," urged his friends. "It was then I decided to organise my work. I made a list of 10 friends who were all traders and hoped that at least two or three would help. It was a surprise when seven or eight came out with donations. That was the beginning of 'Dardionu Rahat Fund'"

For several years Nagindasbhai cycled all round Ahmedabad seeking donors. Some of them wanted to see the work he was doing. He took them to the hospital and they saw the conditions of the poor patients. Not stopping with donating money, they urged their friends to help 'Dardionu Rahat Fund'.

With the help of one of his friends, Nagindasbhai had the Fund properly registered. Seeking Income Tax exemptions for the donations, Nagindasbhai took senior IT officials on the hospital visits. They readily agreed to grant 100 per cent tax exemption on the donations.

The reputation of Nagindasbhai and 'Dardionu Fund' soon spread. Doctors began to recommend patients. Nagindasbhai met Justice D A Desai of the Gujarat High Court through his daughter, Dr Nivedita, working at the V S Hospital. Justice Desai, a human rights champion, was impressed with Nagindasbhai's work and introduced him to the Gujarat Chief Justice, Justice B J Divan.

From then onwards, doors began to open. Judges both of the High Court and the Supreme Court (Justice V R Krishna Iyer, former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, Justice Almadi and Justice Chandrachud) were appreciative and offered support and encouragment. So did Constitutional expert Nani Palkhiwala, Air Chief Marshal Latif, Dr Karan Singh, Rajya Sabha MP and Soli Sorabjee, Solicitor-General of India.

They were impressed not only with the work done but the manner it was done. 'Dardionu Rahat Fund' had no overhead expenses. For years it functioned from a 10 feet x 10 feet room at the Shahpur area of Ahmedabad which was communally sensitive. It was only recently that the Fund acquired office space in a better locality paying Rs 4.15 lakh.

All the work done is voluntary. Nagindasbhai goes out of Ahmedabad to collect funds only when the donors provide him with railway tickets. On his rare visits to Mumbai he stayed with friends and travelled by suburban trains, city bus and autorickshaws. "We print about 500 copies of our annual report," explained Nagindasbhai. "That is our only major expense."

While the lists of donors went on increasing, the old donors continued to pour money. How did this happen? "Our work, our reputation and our aims," said Nagindasbhai. During his recent Mumbai visit, he collected a big donation from well-known TV serial makers, Adhikari brothers.

"I did not even know them," confessed Nagindasbhai. "Obviously, they had heard of my work." One of their earlier serials showed a character who had won a big lottery and wondered how he would spend the prize money. Advised his friend, "Donate it to the Dardionu Rahat Fund'. *** Nagindas Shah can be contacted at 102, Kashiparekh Complex, 29 Adarsh Society, B/H Bhagwati Chambers, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009. Telephone numbers, 7414722, 6446118 (1 to 3 pm).

The Rediff Specials

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