A simple remark by iconic Marathi poet, the late VV Shirwadkar aka Kusumagraj on the urgent need for senior citizen homes, motivated Margao based chartered accountant and one-time, culture czar, Ramakrishna Naik (89) to chart a path of social work, from which he has never looked back.
Working quickly under the auspices of the Goa Hindu Association, Ramakrishna Bhai laid the foundation stone for Sneha Mandir, the popular senior citizens’ home on a hillock in Bandora near Ponda in 1982. Using his significant networking skills, Bhai garnered funds to build the first of the 12 cottages and two geriatric blocks in 1989. The last 28 years has seen Sneha Mandir be home to over hundreds of senior citizens.
Ramakrishna Bhai’s love for Sneha mandir is so great that when I decided to drive to Bandora to see the centre, he insisted on accompanying me. When we reached the gates of the centre, the octogenarian wanted to alight and open the gates! The centre is serene, scenic and homely. Bhai first walked me through the two, geriatric wards which house a total of 42 senior citizens. Most of these seniors need 24-hour- nursing support. While a few women were seen reading newspapers in the corridor, some were bedridden and were being looked after very well.
There are a total of 12 pretty cottages at the centre, with two large rooms, each room housing two seniors. Married couples always share a room. One such couple, Shubhangi (75) and Madhav (81) Chube of Mumbai had arrived only four months ago. Shubhangi is recovering from a paralytic stroke, while Madhav, a fit senior belies his age. The couple has a daughter in the UK and a mentally challenged son housed in a Nashik home. They expressed their gratitude to Sneha Mandir for accepting them as residents. Madhav said, “I never imagined this centre to be so lush green and scenic. I walk twice a day and interact with fellow seniors on the centre’s little playground. This keeps me fit and agile.”
Senior citizens pay a modest fee of Rs 3,500 per head every month to Sneha Mandir in return for the care and attention. Four doctors visit the centre in rotation through the week. There is an in-house ambulance which can shift seniors to the nearest hospital in case of emergencies. A delicious, vegetarian meal supplemented with fish three times a week is served in the main dining hall. The infirm and ailing are served by their bedside. According to Bhai, Sneha Mandir spends close to Rs 17 lakhs in excess of income every month to maintain the centre.
Bhai later took me to the administrative block which houses the spacious dining area, an office, two recreation rooms on the ground floor and a cultural hall on the first floor. It is not difficult to understand the presence of the large culture hall, given Bhai’s penchant for the performing arts. According to Bhai, as many as 40 entertainment programmes are organised through the year for the benefit of the seniors. “We have two separate recreation rooms with a television each for the men and the women, as the men want to watch cricket, while the women want to watch serials!” Bhai said with smile.
According to Bhai, Sneha Mandir is indebted to many an individual and institutions for their consistent financial support over the years. “Institutions like Sneha Mandir survive because of the goodness of countless number of people. God bless them all,” Bhai said.
I) Sneha Mandir’s Community Services
Sneha Mandir (SM) has a very active, community services programme. Under their Bal Vikas Yojana scheme, close to 900 poor children from the villages of the Ponda taluka are supported every year with school books, bags, uniforms, shoes and other equipment. Those pursuing higher education are supported financially for periods ranging between three-five years.
Several children from the villages of Ponda have managed to scale great heights thanks to the support of Sneha Mandir. A case in point being Mangaldas Gaonkar, assistant professor at Goa Engineering College, Ponda. Mangaldas completed a degree in mechanical engineering fully supported by Sneha Mandir. He also completed a masters programme from the prestigious Indian Institute of Sciences (IIS) Bengaluru. Speaking to oHeraldo, Mangaldas said, “Sneha Mandir funded my entire engineering college education. The costs of higher education were beyond the reach of my family. The Bal Vikas Yojana is a boon to students like me.”
Likewise, under their ‘Village Health Support’ scheme, a total of ten villages in the Ponda taluka are visited by a team of doctors from the Indian Medical Association’s Ponda chapter in the SM ambulance every Tuesday. Every visit is planned in coordination with the gram panchayat and all the villages are covered in rotation over the entire year.
Similarly, every Dassera, Sneha Mandir conducts a free eye check-up camp and facilitates free cataract surgeries for close to 80 villagers from the Ponda taluka.
SM also runs a nursing school on its premises which issues a one-year, government nursing diploma to 20 young nurses every year.