Meet the Pune couple who is known 'Doctors for Beggars'

Pune: Dr. Abhijit Sonawane has shared instances about his journey along with his wife, Dr. Manisha Sonawane of how they started treating the roadside ailing people and being called as 'Doctors for Beggars.'

Pune Couple, Dr. Abhijit Sonawane and Dr. Manisha Sonawane known as "Doctors for Beggars' were recently interviewed in a program called 'Saamanya Te Asaamanya.' It was jointly organized by P M Shah Foundation and Vardhaman Pratishthan here.

Dr Sonawane said "With the noble intention of aiding beggars, I quit my well-paying job and embarked on a journey using my bike as a mobile medical clinic, providing essential medical check-ups, medication, etc. At first, some of the beggar patients mistook me for a fraud, threw sticks at me or even spat on me. But that's how I stepped into the realm of social work with a significant understanding of empathy and sensitivity.

"Today we have a family of around 1100 people outside the four walls of our home. Through this, we have bonded with many mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, uncles and aunts. While it may be challenging to nurture these relationships, the inner satisfaction that we get at the end of the day is truly invaluable," expressed Dr. Manisha Sonawane.

Dr. Abhijit Sonawane shared that they are encouraging the beggars to acknowledge their abilities and skills while empowering them to do hard work through employment opportunities.

Furthermore, special efforts are being made to create a place and gain acceptance for their presence in society. "With the help of the society, we have successfully rehabilitated 175 beggar families and the education of 52 children is being actively supported," shared Dr. Abijit Sonawane.

Dr Sonawane has appealed to everyone to stop giving money to the beggars. If anyone wants to extend their helping hand, they should help the beggars in a way that makes them independent instead of being dependent.

"People like Dr. Abhijit and Dr. Manisha are setting an example of role models and are giving directions to our society. Our program 'Saamanya Te Asaamanya', is an attempt to understand their journey in the form of this interview," expressed Adv. Chetan Gandhi. (UNI)

(Photo: facebook/Dr. Manisha Sonawane)