Surinder Gupta, 65, and family host a free medical clinic and distribute medicines in Mumbai

 
On a quiet Thursday afternoon in Powai, a Mumbai suburb, a motley bunch of maids, security guards, construction workers and others can be seen in the lobby of Raheja Vihar, a posh high-rise, indulging in small talk while waiting patiently for their turn to see the doctor. The queue stretches right up to the first floor where a free medical clinic runs. In fact, this has been a regular sight since 2014, when the Sukrta Foundation—comprising 65 year-old Surinder Gupta, daughter Seema and son-in-law Vikas Goel—organised the first such clinic. Every Thursday afternoon, the clinic is up and running in Raheja Vihar and another housing society nearby to cater to the poor. “My husband Vikas, a banker, realised that good medical care is an unaffordable, unattainable dream for most people belonging to the low income group,” says Seema. Her father, who had retired from the banking sector, stepped in to look after the daily affairs of the foundation and manage the accounts. “Many Good Samaritans have helped us along the way,” says Gupta. “For instance, the owner of the room where the clinic is run stopped taking rent after he realised what we were doing.” General practitioner Kirti Agrawal, who has been associated with the clinic since inception, says there is no compromise on the quality of medicines. “The cost of the pills and syrups ranges from ₹ 100 to ₹ 500 in the market.” Most patients come with skin problems, rashes, lesions and discolouration. “They are from the nearby Tunga slum. There is a huge lack of awareness about hygiene and sanitation there,” observes Agrawal. One of the regulars, Pawan, a former security guard, says, “Their medicines relieve the pain in my leg, which was electrocuted.” For now, Gupta would like the initiative to grow and expand to other places. “It’s a humbling experience,” he says. “We have learnt to appreciate the value of little things in life.”

—Tanushree Sen

Photos: Haresh Patel
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
January 2018