O P Sharma
The growing distortions in social fabric ” force” lot many persons, mostly in the evening of their life, to seek asylum in a welfare institution. One such shelter for old age, destitute and poor men and women is the Home for Aged and Infirm, popularly known as Vridh Ashram at Amphalla, Jammu .
This welfare institution has now over the years completed 50 years of service to the society. It has gained both in strength and risen in stature due to group of highly dedicated persons associated with this centre of service . It is really a “home” to many poor, destitute and hapless persons above 60 years of age who are admitted without consideration of caste, colour or creed to spend the evening of their life in this Home for Aged and Infirm. The Home has its rules and regulations for admission of inmates.
Set-up on June 8, 1964 with a humble beginning, it started operating from a mere one room on a piece of land obtained on lease from Ved Mandir Committee. This Home, registered as a society on February 20,1965, now has two full-fledged decent buildings facing each other across the road link from Ambphalla Chowk to Goshalla with a capacity to accommodate comfortably nearly 90 aged persons . Presently, it has 45 inmates, including 17 females spending a well-cared life in congenial environ.
Homely Environment
Inmates, all senior citizens, belong to cross section of society mainly from average low-income families but had to shift to this institution due to variety of reasons. Mostly the factors are family discords, social disharmony, ill- health without family support or some other solid grounds. Some of them are from fairly well-to-do family but unfortunately denied support by near and dear ones.
The inmates are provided boarding and lodging amenities with basic medical care as also religious and entertainment activities. Regular prayer meetings are held. A number of national and other festivals are also celebrated. Occasionally, group of inmates are taken out for visits to pilgrimages or tourist places within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.
Premier Institutions
Ram Nath Prabhakar, a retired headmaster who is founder of this Home has contributed much to poor and aged people who were not having any shelter or were extremely poor or did not have family-support to depend upon to sustain life. It was he who had vision for providing home-like placssse for stay of needy aged persons. Later, some socially committed persons joined hands with him to assist in such a noble mission.
Its management is looked after by a Managing Committee with mission spirited persons for three years term. The past presidents were Harbans Lal Bhagotra, Judge; D N Gupta, ex, IAS officer, who played pivotal role in building up this noble institution.
Talking to some of men and women revealed sad and sordid stories which can move even the stone-hearted persons. There has to be strong social security system in place for the person in difficult and disadvantaged period of life. The society has a pivotal role to support and sustain such welfare endeavours.
The present Management Committee comprises of president, Prof Vidya Nath Gupta; Er. Vijay Bhagotra, secretary; BB Gupta, joint secretary and six other noted persons.
Dr Aruna Bhagotra looks after the medical care of the inmates. In addition, team of doctors from Health Department conduct twice-a-week periodical checkup and consultation services to oldies. And, in case of emergency, the patient is got treated at adjoining Swami Vivekanand Hospital or Govt. Medical College Hospital, Jammu.
Mr Bhagotra, secretary in reply to a question stated that efforts are on to provide individual attention, affections, sympathy and feeling of homeliness to these senior citizens and kindle in them a ” zest for life”.
Kamal Krishan, 67 from Janipur colony, Jammu after five years stay in this Home said he came here on his own with health problem and now living a contented community life. Similar was the tale of another gentleman utterly neglected by his close family members. Now, he hardly looks back but has hope in Him.Sumitra Devi, in 70s and another Sumitra above 80 years had tales of troubles but have learnt lessons of life. Now he pins all hopes on God almighty. Both are sad but instead are contented and composed persons.
Proud Performance
The Home recently celebrated its Golden Jublee year and also 114th birth anniversary of its founder late Ram Nath Prabhakar with Havan Pooja and distribution of clothes and cash incentives among the inmates and workers of the Home.
The function was also attended by Jyoti Bhalla, grand daughter of late Prabhakar and representatives of various leading social organizations like:
All J&K Senior Citizens Welfare Council, State Retired Officers Forum, Central Pensioners Welfare Association ,Association for Welfare of Senior Citizens, Vivekananda Charitable Mission Hospital, J&K Samaj Kalyan Kendra, Bal Balika Niketan, Ved Mandir, Dharmarth Trust, Indian Red Cross Society and a large number of prominent citizens were present.
For smooth functioning of this centre of service, public donations in cash or coin and contributions from different individuals and institutions are accepted to meet the day to day expenses. All donations to this Home qualify for exemption under section 80-G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
The Home has now emerged as a premier centre in the Jammu and Kashmir State for service to such members of the society and to ameliorate their hardships who do have any place to live in and are having no one to look after or take care of them.
This prestigious Home should be put on a website for its improved accessability across the globe.
All agencies- official and non-official- should come forward to make this 50-years institution to continue its humane service to the society.
(Starline Syndicate Service)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel