A Saviour to the Poor

The Earth Saviours Foundation gets its name from the efforts of its Founder – Mr. Ravi Kalra – who is literally a savior to the poor, living off the streets of Delhi. He says, “I drive around the streets of Delhi past midnight to spot abandoned people and bring them into my ashram; where I can give them food and medical care in addition to a roof over their heads.” He adds, “Everyone deserves a good life and I would like to contribute in giving one to these helpless people.”

From orphaned children to the elderly, Mr. Ravi Kalra takes in anybody who has no place to call home. He adopts them into his ashram, where at present, 125 people live.  They themselves take care of the ashram, treating it as one would do one’s own home – from sweeping and mopping the floor, to washing their own clothes, and even their own utensils after meals. In fact, some play bigger roles – of preparing food in the kitchen, or driving the TESF ambulance, or helping the sick as ward boys/nurses. This serves a dual purpose – of running the TESF center as well as keeping the beneficiaries active.

Their old age home is called Ayurda, which means “guarantee for long, happy and healthy life”. Yoga classes and kirtan (prayers) are conducted everyday for senior citizens; who are also regularly taken to the hospital for checkups. He says, “Sadly, many abandoned old people are brought to our home in critical conditions. Some are bed-ridden, others handicapped, yet others have maggots all over their body. Despite our best care some of them die due to old age or constant ill-health.”

The children’s rehabilitation school is “Agamya,” which means “wisdom”. At Agamya, destitute children between the age group of 3 to 14 years are looked after and educated. In some cases TESF has also managed to successfully arrange jobs for parents of some of these children.Jia Nari Niketan is their rehabilitation center for sexually-abused and homeless females.

Ravi Kalra tales of his beneficiaries, as we moved from tent to tent of their makeshift center, moved me to tears. At one point, I was aghast at seeing a dead body lying in one of their tents. To which Mr. Kalra said, “There are at least 8-9 deaths every month. These deaths are mostly of people picked up from the footpaths. Their health completely degrades and they do not survive even after medication.”

A highly spiritual person, it is his strong spiritual beliefs that help him to reach out to more and more underprivileged people every day. All thanks to this dedication and effort have hundreds of people been taken off the streets…and more will be helped in the years to come.

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Aadeep