I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. – Edward Hale
A brief autobiographical account about service to society…
Leading a truly balanced life involves touching upon its multiple facets like education, sports, culture, art, music, and hobbies. Starting from childhood and progressing to student-life, adolescence, and professional adulthood, spruced with morality, humility, and compassion, later in life we transform from being learners to mentors and pass on our learning and experience to the younger generation. While every person tends to work hard for his own good, the driving impulse for me was: “what good did you do or give back to the society that gave you so much?”
Born into a family of doctors and benefitting from convent school education where social service was given importance, my social work started with the setting up of a first-aid post for kids and injured birds, followed by helping blind students to prepare for and write examinations.
Service to the country, fellow beings and community with dedication and courage soon became the mantra of my life. I found myself turning an optimist, inspired by Helen Keller’s golden words, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope and confidence”. Over the years I volunteered for Delhi Civil Defence, Bharat Scouts, St John Ambulance Brigade and the National Cadet Corps. I underwent trainings in first-aid, rescue, fire-fighting, weapons and wireless communications, which proved to be handy towards the fulfillment of my avowed purpose during times of crises; when others looked with blank eyes, I acted promptly and decisively and saved lives. Amongst many situations, I can distinctly enumerate a few instances: I managed to save the lives of children caught in a house fire; rescued a woman and her infant in a marketplace when her clothes accidentally caught fire; saved the life of a teenager involved in a head-on vehicle collision; and also tried to save the life of a policeman involved in a fatal road accident with a truck, by giving him CPR and rushing him to hospital.
In recognition of my valiant efforts, I was awarded the Commendation Roll by the Commissioner of Delhi Police, their highest award, and appointed as an honorary Special Police Officer, conferring on me the powers, privileges and immunities of a police officer, when I was just nineteen years old! Soon, I was made part of a select team of police officers who were tasked to set up drug de-addiction camps to counsel and cure those either convicted as drug addicts or arrested for drug use and consumption. Over the years, I received over two dozen certificates, commendations and newspaper mentions by the Delhi Police for effective policing and maintaining law and order. My picture was published in major newspapers by Delhi Police through their advertisements aimed at inspiring younger generations to develop a ‘zeal for community work without expectations of material returns.’
I got a chance to serve the country during the 1991 Gulf War when America and its allies blocked all communications to and from Iraq. With no phones available, I was called upon to establish wireless humanitarian contact with Indian missions at Baghdad & Kuwait over the permissible Red Cross frequencies to enquire about the welfare of Indian citizens.
In 2004, I was elected to the position of Honorary General Secretary of an NGO engaged in non-formal education of underprivileged street and slum children including those with disabilities. I worked tirelessly to obtain statutory permissions and today, the over 200 children attending this NGO are imparted various skills that include music, arts, dramatics, computer education, sports, health & wellness techniques. Such creative activities hone their personality and become citizens with values. I take them on educational trips to museums and science centres to expose them to innovations in science & technology and develop their outlook at par with other mainstream children. Patriotism is inculcated by celebrating national events like Independence Day and Republic Day. All my efforts contribute in transforming an otherwise illiterate, marginalised and crime-prone children into educated, well-behaved, and responsible citizens.
In the aftermath of the devastating tsunami of 2004 that left several children orphaned in the Andaman & Nicobar region, I got another opportunity to serve the country. I became the guardian of 9 boys and 6 girls, all orphans from the Katchal Island in Nicobar, who were then admitted to a residential boarding school in Sikkim.
On the sports front, in the backdrop of my intrinsic love for shooting sports I took a cue from the words of Albert Einstein, “You have to learn the rules of the game, and then you have to play better than anyone else”. Not only did I ace the sport, I also mentored my son, making both of us renowned national shooters. I then set up a Shooting Club and started training underprivileged children with the aim to open up their future employment avenues in the police and armed forces. Soon after, I was elected President of a District Rifle Association, and on the Governing Board of the Delhi State Rifle Association, wherein I enabled coaching and organised competitions to promote the sport.
