THE SOLDIERS OF MAHAROGI SEWA SAMITI
Shankar Dada
Shankar Mahadeo Jumade, known popularly as Shankar Dada, 77, is the oldest member of the Anandwan community and himself a leprosy patient. Barely literate, he is in- charge of the Somnath project.
Popularly known as the Vice Chancellor of the Workers’ University and Baba’s oldest general, he is a member of the Governing Body of Maharogi Sewa Samiti, in which he is fondly said to ‘be representing workers’ rights to the management’.
Bhau Mistry
Bhau Mistry, a contemporary of Shankar Dada, lovingly known as the Chief Engineer of Anandwan. Although unlettered, he has designed and constructed all the buildings in Anandwan, apart from training hundreds of leprosy patients in masonry work.
Arun Kadam
Arun Kadam, came to Somnath for a youth camp in 1974. He was extremely inspired to do this work and stayed on since then. He is now looking after the Somnath project along with his wife.
Narayan Rao and Dr. Pole with Baba Amte
Narayan Rao, who hails from a village near Warora, was a classmate of Vikas and Prakash from school. He has been working in Anandwan for the last 45 years. He is in-charge of farming activities and administration.
Dr. V.G. Pole is Medical Officer at Anandwan. A doctor with a private practice in Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, he quit Raipur lock, stock and barrel in 1984 to live and work in Anandwan.
Gopal Phadnis
Gopal Phadnis was a college lecturer in English until 1976 when he came to join MSS. He is presently Principal of one of the biggest residential schools for tribals in Central India.
Rajappa
Rajappa, a leprosy patient, is now trained and skilled mason with years of experience in construction of buildings.
Prabhu, an electrical engineer from Goa, joined the Hemalkasa Lok Biradari Prakalp as a teacher in 1982. He now helps Vikas Amte in the administrative functions at Anandwan.