Retired bank officer saw opportunities to help others open up after polio struck her when she was hardly 12 years old, writes Narendra Sethi from Dehradun
UTTARAKHAND: When Madhu Maikhuri was barely 12 years old, she realised both her feet were polio-affected. The initial reaction of the people around her was one of pity, something that Madhu never liked. She wanted to be independent, free of the people’s outward sympathy and do something for herself and others.
Retired as a bank officer from Uttaranchal Gramin Bank, she says her disability presented her many opportunities to grow and help others like her. “I realized I had so much to do,” says Madhu. She founded Gokul Sanstha in 1997 with inspiration from Mohan Jagudi, a social activist from Garhwal, whom she met in her office. In about 25 years, Madhu has assisted over 10,000 differently-abled people in various recuperative and surgical procedures, including artificial limbs, through her Sanstha.
“When I was a kid, my mother recited the Ramayana to my grandmother every day. Some of the ‘chaupais’ described Lord Ram’s sufferings. Listening to them I felt my physical suffering was relatively too little to grudge about,” says Madhu. “I asked my parents what my ailment was, how I would cope with it and whether there was any treatment it. They were not very forthcoming. A few years later, I had a surgery of my hand as polio had affected both my feet and the left hand,” recalls Madhu. She decided to remain single. “I am grateful to my parents for supporting my decision.” She is happy having tied the ‘bandhan sutra’ to as many disabled persons as she could get in touch with.
Gokul Sanstha has received government patronage on the basis of its performance and pious objectives. The Uttarakhand government, has helped 11 children in Dehradun through Gokul. In surgery, the state government’s social welfare department offered financial assistance. Transport and other arrangements were made by the education department and the surgery was arranged by the health department.
In the campaign launched by Gokul, the state government has helped 252 disabled children across all districts of the state. In 2000 when Gokul was into the third year of its being, a huge medical camp was organized in which 800 needy people were provided three-wheelers, wheelchairs and crutches. The sanstha has kept up the tradition. In 2007, Madhu helped set up Gokul Physiotherapy Center in Dehradun where 4,070 people have so far benefited. Similarly, a prosthesis centre was set up in 2010 and around 502 persons have been provided with artificial limbs. Computer training is being provided to children and the youth through a centre run in collaboration with Gokul at village Badli and Kandara in Rudraprayag district.
Madhu also believes that if all the institutions work together for the rehabilitation of the differently-abled in the hill areas, the biggest problem of migration can be solved,” she says.
Article Credits: The New Indian Express