NATIONAL8 (Spotlight Weekly]

Master Of Service

Kansakar leaves a legacy of social service that will be hard to match

By A CORRESPONDENT

At a time when philanthropy is gradually getting replaced by commercialization, late Dayabir Singh Kansakar stands out as a truly gifted social worker of the country. Though he died a year ago, his memories are permanently etched in the hearts of all Nepalese.

Kansakar : Tireless service

The first blood donor of the country, Kansakar was a man with versatile interests. A thoroughly energetic person, he used his energy to help the poor and disadvantaged. Paropkar --the institution he established more than half a century ago still carries the same spirit of selfless help to others.

He donated blood for the first time in 2000 B.S. (1942 AD) in Bir Hospital and gave a new life to a person who was struggling for life in his death bed. There was no looking back from this point onwards for Kansakar.

He went on to start free treatment and distribution of medicines to hapless poor with his little stock of first aid medicines at his own shop. He extended his active service to help the ailing patients of many families suffering from cholera with medicines and physicians so much so that he brought a six year old boy suffering from cholera to his own house to the dismay of local residents, treated him and sent him to his home.

The Paropkar organization, which he founded in 2004 B.S. (1946), has been engaged in multifarious social service activities in the country.

In fact, the Paropkar organization is the first welfare oriented non-government organization in Nepal. At a time when the country is witnessing the mushrooming of NGOs that claim to work for the poor people, the example set by Paropkar could help them orient their strategy.

The Paropkar organization spread in several branches like ambulance service, orphanage, school, blood donation campaign, maternity hospital and so on. However, the organization never lost the spirit of selfless help to the poor and disadvantaged.

What Kansakar sowed is being presently reaped by society. His orphanage where many lived and studied, has over the years, succeeded to bring up jewels for society. Many orphan students, who studied under the care of Paropkar organization, have become engineers, doctors and so on.

Besides being a philanthropist, Kansakar was also a true nationalist. He was also involved in promoting Buddhist religion. He represented Nepal in the World Peace Conference held in Sri Lanka in 1957 and in then Soviet Union in 1962.

Kansakar, however, was unhappy in the manner in which then government seized the control of Paropkar Shree Panch Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Maternity Hospital from his organization. Till his death, he wanted the hospital to be returned to the organization so that its administration could be handled selflessly and for the benefit of the poor and needy.

Kansakar was decorated with dozens of medals including Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu and Tri-Shakti Patta.