Motihari, Dec 9: Grief caused by the death of his sister transformed a young businessman of this north Bihar town into a Samaritan, who is now joined by like-minded persons from far and wide.
Anirudh Lohia, a 42-year-old garment shop owner, is the driving force behind ‘Raktadan Samuh Motihari’, a group of volunteers, who are just a telephone call away for patients battling for their lives.
“The administration counts on Anirudh Lohia and his team in times of need. Their contributions during the COVID-19 second wave was invaluable,” said Shirshat Kapil Ashok, the District Magistrate of East Champaran, which is headquartered in Motihari.
The adulation, however, makes Anirudh, who leads a team of 7,000 volunteers, recall the “personal loss” that drove him to the charitable cause. “In 2018, I lost my elder sister. She was suffering from a serious heart condition and could not be saved. She underwent transfusion of 40 units of blood. I keep regretting that I could not donate mine. She left behind her two little daughters. Nobody can bring their mother back. But, their pain moved me to take up the challenge of saving lives, to an extent that is possible,” he said.
The medical fraternity here confirms that the efforts have born fruit.
An active donor himself, Anirudh has donated close to 20 units in the last three years, and his ever-active and accessible social media accounts ensure he can be reached easily.
“We set up a community of blood donors in Motihari, but smart use of technology has enabled us to rally along kindred souls elsewhere in Bihar and even other states,” he said.
“On some occasions we have been pleasantly surprised to receive messages from people residing in Nepal and Pakistan showing eagerness to join our cause. All of us need to do our bit wherever we are. So we keep sharing our experiences as well as relevant information with the conviction that every single unit of blood can make a difference,” said Anirudh , shuffling between his mundane business and the greater cause. (PTI)
