CITIZENS FROM CHILDHOOD

Shri R.G.Ghai, Dy. Manager, with our Main Branch, Indore, is a simple looking man, always seen in kurta-pyjama, relentlessly and silently working for the good of humanity.

As a 16 year old boy, once while cycling his way to his school, in Chindwara, M.P. in the year 1967 he saw an old couple, weeping bitterly, seeking help to bury the burnt dead body of their grandchild, lying on the road. People, passing by, gave just looks of sympathy and no help was forthcoming.

His humane heart could no longer bear to see the indifference of the public around. He himself had no money with him to help them out. However, where there is a will there is a way, and so this 16 year old, in a flick moment, blocked the road with his cycle, bringing to a standstill all movement on the road, both of the public and that of vehicles.

He sought help from the public by drawing their attention to the child’s dead body. People started giving coins to the old couple and in a couple of hours, he could collect Rs. 42/- of which Rs. 35/- was spent for the burial and the remaining amount was handed over to the old couple for their expenses back to their village from where they came.

Inspired by the act, on joining the Bank in 1975, in Pipparai, Hoshangabad, M.P., Shri Ghai, promoted, ‘Aasara’ a registered group that performs final rites of unidentified, unclaimed dead bodies found near hospitals, railway stations, etc as per the religion followed by the dead person, including immersing of ashes in Allahabad. Aasara is functioning till date and is carrying on the good work and holds more importance than the police and the municipality in the area.

Shri Ghai has not only given his sweat and blood for this humanitarian task but has also donated blood 62 times till date!

And, yes, why he wears kurta pyjama always, is because he was inspired by Jayprakash Narayan’s struggle, the Sampoorna Kranti movement, during the days of emergency and since 1975, he has donned the kurta pyjama, even on his marriage day!





And here goes the citizen moments of another very young man treading the path of humanity:

Shri Vaibhav Gupta, a P.O., posted at Indore, at the tender age of 20, became the savior of a child, which met with a ghastly accident.

It was around 11 p.m. that night when Vaibhav was returning after having his dinner in a hotel. As he was walking on the pavement, he suddenly heard a loud noise. Turning around he noticed a truck speeding away after hitting an auto. Unable to get the number of the truck, Vaibhav rushed towards the auto. He noticed a man, woman and a child seriously injured and blood was seen everywhere. In a split moment with presence of mind, Vaibhav ran to the nearby hotel, got help and rushed the injured to a nearby hospital. Vaibhav stayed at the hospital till late at night and even donated blood to the injured child. However, the injured woman breathed her last but her child survived. Her relatives rushed to the hospital, on hearing the news and had tears of gratitude for Vaibhav for having saved the child.

Humanity, no doubt, exists in each one of us, but the one who practices it, is noticed and counted. Works of love and humanity are silent and therefore remembered always. Age, qualification or positions, hardly matter in this service for humanity. All that is required is a heart that feels and understands, hands that are always ready to serve one and all. No doubt such a one is very dear to the Almighty and so to all of us.

Contributed by Ms. Harina Sharma, Facilitator, SBLC, Indore.