BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): Kabir Samman award recipient and theatre artiste and folk singer from Bhopal, Ravi Lal Sangade, has been forced to seek crowdfunding for treatment of throat cancer.
His grandson Malayaj has sought financial help from people for the treatment of his grandfather through social media including Whatsapp and Facebook. Malayaj has written on social media that Sangade has throat cancer, which is in the third stage and Rs 5 lakh is needed for his treatment. He has appealed to artistes and theatre lovers for financial help.
My grandfather has dedicated his whole life to theatre and got fame and respect for which he is always grateful. But the financial condition of our family is weak. So, it is quite difficult to arrange such a huge amount for treatment, he wrote.
Sixty five-year-old Sangade lives in Kamla Nagar, Kotra Sultanabad in the city with his family. He originally hails from Chhattisgarh†but his talent was recognised by the theatre doyen Habib Tanveer who brought him to Bhopal about four decades ago. Sangade joined Rangmandal reportery of†Bharat Bhawan. Along with Habib Tanveer, he performed in many plays like Charandas Chor, Bahadur Kalarin, Daldal, Paisa Phek Tamasha Dekh, Mati Ki Gadi, Alibaba Chalis Chor etc. Charandas Chor received global acclaim and he visited around 20 countries including France, Germany, Japan etc. He has also acted in many films including Peepli Live and Bandit Queen.
About seeking help from the Culture Department, Ravi Lal Sangade told Free Press that he was not doing it because he went to meet the director, culture, regarding his pension but he was not allowed to enter the office. The amount of the pension is around Rs 2,000 per month. I don't expect any help from the culture department, he says.
Sangade said 'I started working at the age of 14. And I visited many countries and got awards. Whatever I did, I did for my country.'
Daughter of Ravi Lal Sangde, Lata, who works as teacher in a private school, said that they applied for a grant from the state government but havenít got it till now. We also applied for a slot under Gamak during Covid pandemic but we didnít get a single show. She said on the insistence of their friends they posted an appeal for help on social media.
