From lanes of Khadakmal Ali to India’s Paradise
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When we talk about a humble neighborhood, we are bound to imagine different
individuals having diverse personalities, habits, varied lifestyles and more. To look at it
unbiasedly, it would be right to say that such small localities, in essence, represent the
society at large. They mirror the values that the society characterizes, because most of
the times, it is from these small localities that celebrated personalities emerge. These
insignificant vicinities that shape revered personalities are worth writing about and are
exceptionally fascinating.
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In one such ordinary neighborhood of Pune, a man was born on 5 February 1957. Growing
through the circumstances, appreciating the value of human life closely and exploring
the different facets of the society, this man, even today at the age of 61, excitedly and
positively asserts the importance of blood and blood ties. Mr. Ram Bangad, all his life, not
only did emphasize the value of building blood relations, but also chose to nurture and
develop every relation affectionately.
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An incident in 1976 was the turning point in his simple life. The death of a little girl, owing
to lack of required blood group, was enough to ignite Mr. Ram’s desire for saving lives. In
the year 1977, Mr. Ram joined a well-regarded bank as an employee, and it was here
that through the employee union and their initiatives he took to regular blood donation.
Taking the mission further, he used rough papers and discarded cardboards to write
inspiring slogans and spread the message of voluntary blood donation among the
customers of the bank. Fortunately, his passion was further fueled as more and more
people became aware and joined in the noble cause, and started donating blood.
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In the year 1997, he took it upon himself to organize a one-of-its-kind, all-inclusive blood
donation camp at Modern College in Pune. He and his companions were successful in
collecting 284 bags of blood through the camp. Through enormous struggles and
commitment, the meagre number has today reached to lakhs of bags and thousands of
lives as ‘Raktache Nate’. In fact, today, there are hardly any Sundays when blood
donation camps are not organized.
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Mr. Ram started the blood donation revolution at a time when there were no
sophisticated methods of communication, no phones or emails. It was only his enthusiasm
to do something for the society and his ownership to make it happen, which kept him
driven throughout. Started with just one man, the ‘Raktache Nate’ family today is like a
gigantic tree that is proudly touching the skies and has thousands of branches spread
around. Several patrons and zealous individuals have come together to make ‘Raktache
Nate’ what it is today!
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To take the movement forward, Mr. Ram has decided to take the blood donation mission
further north to Kashmir. To ensure that our self-sacrificing soldiers and the loving dwellers
never have to face shortage of blood, Mr. Ram has pledged to publicize the noble cause
in Kashmir by organizing a blood donation drive. He has readied a team of 35 enthusiastic
donors from Maharashtra and Punjab, who will donate blood in the Paradise and stand
as testimonies of altruistic service.
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Mr. Ram’s journey from the lanes of Khadakmal Ali to Kashmir is an exemplary quest for
thousands of aspiring youths and social organizations. Mr. Ram’s undying passion, his
team of enthused donors, several networks of noble organizations and numerous
benefited patients, come together to form this biggest family that is not connected by
birth, but by blood.
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To the man who is an epitome of generosity and perseverance, to the man who has
woven strangers in permanent blood relationships, to the man who places ‘we’ before
‘me’ – we salute Mr. Ram!
