Angels Of Marathwada: Sumit Pandit's Mission To Help The Abandoned

We often come across people who appear unkempt at railway stations, bus stands and even on footpaths, with overgrown hair and beards, wearing torn clothes and seemingly unaware of what is happening around them. We may assume that they are people with mental illness or disabilities. What do we do? We often overlook them or feel sympathy, but rarely go beyond that.

Sumit Pandit, a social worker from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, has a different approach. His work extends to some of the most neglected sections of society. Through his ‘Manuski Group’, Sumit, along with his colleagues, supports destitute and abandoned people, missing and runaway persons, people with mental illness, leprosy patients and beggars.

Regardless of the time of day or night and braving scorching heat, wind and rain, Sumit and his colleagues rescue neglected individuals from wherever they are found and take them to hospitals. They provide essential care and treatment, including bathing, grooming, shaving and haircuts for men, hair care for women and nursing.

With the assistance of the police, they also trace the individuals’ relatives. So far, they have successfully traced 58 families and reunited individuals with their loved ones.

Sumit has established the ‘Manushyata Vruddha Sevalaya’ (Humanity Old Age Home) on Jatwada Road in Sambhajinagar to care for and rehabilitate elderly people and those with mental illness who are found in a destitute state. He provides them with essential support and rehabilitation. In cases involving mental illness, he arranges their admission to a psychiatric hospital in Pune with the necessary High Court permission.

Sumit has become a pillar of support for neglected and destitute individuals, having helped secure care and justice for 1,284 abandoned people with mental illness across Maharashtra so far.

Sumit, his wife Puja, volunteers and colleagues carry out this work through the ‘Manuski Seva Group’ and Su-Laxmi Bahuddeshiya Sevabhavi Sanstha, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Sumit says, “These people are present in large numbers in society. However, they are often neglected. We generally see them on the streets as they have mostly been abandoned by their families. Anti-social elements take undue advantage of their helplessness. Women and children, in particular, have to suffer immensely.

“These patients often become aggressive when someone approaches them. Hence, we take the assistance of the police and volunteers whom we have trained during rescue operations. We give them a bath, shave them and provide them with new clothes. They are given medical assistance, and our priority is to reunite them with their families. If that is not possible, we keep them at our facility and provide the prescribed medical assistance,” Sumit said.

Dr Sharad Sonawane, Professor, Prabhat College, Nidhona, said Sumit comes from a very poor background and runs a salon to support his livelihood and family. However, he has become an inspiration to society and an example for the younger generation.

At just 31, his social work has been recognised by several organisations across the state, which have honoured him with awards for his contribution to social service.

He has not only worked for the betterment of people with mental illness but has also contributed to environmental conservation and helped poor patients and their relatives at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) financially.

“Many times, families do not have money to take the bodies of deceased patients home. Sumit and his group arrange everything, from ambulances to the finances required to perform the last rites,” Sonawane said.