circa 2022
15 January 2022, 4 remote villages in Purba Midnapur
What touched us most on this trip was not their need for relief.
It was the first time that elderly women had touched our heads and blessed us saying, "abaar esho baba, amader keu khoj naye na..." (Please do come again my dear, nobody asks about us anymore).
​
May no old elderly feel unwanted.
Especially not an old woman, who in her youth, must have nurtured an entire generation.
​
SUKRULLAPUR, UTTAR KALAMDAN, LAKSHI KHEJURI BAROBARI.
​
102 elderly women.
Coincidentally this was close to Sankanti, so a big thank you to all the lovely women who pitched in with their offering:
​
SARIKA BANKA
ANITA SHAH
USHA RAJPUT
VANDANA SINGHAL (ALIGARH)
MADHU GAUTAM
PRITI RAJPUT
18 January 2022: TWO LITTLE CANCER WARRIORS
The Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre and Research Institute appealed to PUKAAR for support in the treatment of two little Cancer fighters:
​
ARADHYA THAPA, 5 years old only.
Resident of Kurseong.
Suffering from BLOOD CANCER.
​
(An aggressive (fast-growing) type of leukemia (blood cancer) in which too many B-cell lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) are found in the bone marrow and blood. It is the most common type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Also called B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and precursor B-lymphoblastic leukemia.)
​
​
​
​
​
MAYANK MISHRA, 3 years old only.
Resident of Purulia
Suffering from BLOOD CANCER
​
(Burkitt's Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system. It specifically affects white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are an important part of your immune system. Lymphoma is also called a cancer of the lymphatic system, or lymphatic cancer.)
​
PUKAAR responded within it's limited means.
​
29 March 2022: Two more little Cancer Fighters
The Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre and Research Institute appealed yet again to PUKAAR for support in the treatment of two more little Cancer fighters:
​
JIKARA RAHMATI, 9 years old only.
Resident of Vill CHaksim, MUNGER.
Suffering from BLOOD CANCER.
​
(T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignant neoplasm of the bone marrow. It accounts for ∼20% of all cases of ALL and is somewhat more common in adults than children, although the incidence diminishes with older age.)
​
​
​​​
SWAPAN MAJHI, 9 years old only.
Resident of Vill Gerua, Purulia
Suffering from BLOOD CANCER
​
(BB-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a cancer that affect "B lymphocytes" - white blood cells that grow in the soft center of your bones, called marrow. B lymphocytes are supposed to grow into cells that help fight infections.)
​
PUKAAR responded within it's limited means.
​
16 July 2022 Thakurnagar Nanda Mahila Vidyalaya
The THAKURNAGAR NANDA MAHILA VIDYALAYA was born with India, in 1947.
What started in a one storey small building with mud rooms for hostel accommodation, is today a much larger school, from Class V to X.
TNMV houses 130 girls in a safe and secure environment and never has there been any hint of a scandal or nefarious activity in this school that caters to village girls from backward castes and class. MOst of them are from single parent families with their mothers working as ayahs or maids in far off cities.
Another 50 girls are day scholars from the neighbouring villages.
​
The government provides two basic square meals a day, a uniform and some textbooks. PUKAAR tried to chip in with nutrition, notebooks and sanitary napkins.
​
The enthusiasm and response of the simple school girls was simply amazing. May their future be as bright as their smiles!
Aug 28 Medical Camp for rag pickers at Tangra, East Calcutta
This colony of rag pickers is on the banks of a sewer filled open canal that serves as a convenient trash point for the residents of this colony.
​
Acute poverty of the body and naturally, of the mind too, abounds.
​
This was a camp where it was difficult to gauge the ability of the patients to be able to take their medication in the doses explained and specified.
​
In God's world, there are an infinite number of men , some humans, some not, but almost all of them have carved a place for themselves in their own nooks and corners...
10 Sep, Yet another medical camp in Topsia, East Calcutta
Yet another group of rag-pickers. Yet another medical camp that provided diagnosis, medicines, pathological investigations and some hope.
But most of it feels inadequate. There's joy among the most needy and depression among those that have it all.
Musing aside, this camp too owes a lot of gratitude to Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Matri Bhavan!
18 Sep Medical Camp at Humayun Kabir Institute, Park Circus, Calcutta
A most successful medical camp in the heart of the city, this was held in association with and hosted by THE HUMAYUN KABIR INSTITUTE, an organization of much repute and standing from pre-independence days. A hundred and twenty women and children were provided with medicines and succor.
Thank you, Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Matri Bhavan for the invaluable support.
​
15 NOV, Chunkhabari Sri Durga Balika Vidyamandir
This School is a long long walk from the main road. The winding road goes past huts, ponds, fields, groves and empty grounds.
​
The teachers of the school travel almost two and a half hours on average every day. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their sincerity, humbling.
​
Naturally, despite coming from very challenging backgrounds, the girls of this school sport smiles galore.
​
It was a privilege for PUKAAR to have met the teachers and students of Chunkhabari Sri Durga Balika Vidyamnadir.
​
The girls went back with schoolbags full of notebooks, nutrition and hygienic stuff.
​
​
​
​
​
17 Dec, Medical Camp at Saroj Nalini, Ballygunge Station
This camp served a most unseen section of the urban marginalzed. The venue of the camp is one of the oldest working women's hostels of the city.
​
It is now home to scores of girls from mofussil areas who are in Calcutta to be coached into appearing for government jobs, especially as government teachers.
​
They come with just about enough to help them meet two ends and keep chasing their dreams with stars in their eyes. Most of them had health issues but not one of them would have gone to a doctor unless the camp came to them.
​
What serendipity. The camp did come to them.
​
Thank you Matri Bhavan, once again !!
​
22 Dec, Pre Christmas joys for little village kids
The letter says it all.
Village kids who needed sweaters in the biting cold of a windy December, got what they wished for.
May no child ever suffer a winter.
Amen.
