sad death of a heart specialist, mr mandke
dhananjay
he came to fame when operated balasaheb in India proving the
capabilities of modern Indian medicine industry. His ambitious project
of a five time bigger hospital than hinduja, remains his personal
dream till date.
I salute the spirit of late Dr. Mandke & his confidence of being an
expert.
Please add your memories for the soul and related information.
Dhananjay
Ranjit
Pradeep
Recently, Dr. Abhay Bung wrote a letter to Loksatta about Dr. Mandke,
the persona. (I would have loved to provide you with a link here; it
is an interesting letter from one great personality that is, about
another one that was. Unfortunately, Loksatta does not provide an
archive of issues in the immediate past. The latest issue that is
archieved is for 31 May. This letter appeared sometime between then
and now, if I remember it right).
In this letter, Dr. Bung recalls with fondness, his interactions with
Dr. Mandke, beginning with one at the Calgery BrihanMaharashtra Meet,
a few years back. Dr.Bung then goes on to explore the possibility of
Dr, Mandke's untimely death. From what he writes, Dr. Mandke was
totally overcome by the project to build his cherished dream of
hosptial in Mumbai and money for that ambitinous project was hard to
come by. Dr. Bung narrates how Dr. Mandke's appeal at the above
mentioned Calgery meet drew a very lukewarm response from the NRI
marathi crowd.
Am I surprised at the selfishness of the NRIs?
....Pradeep
Balwant Dixit
"In this letter, Dr. Bung recalls with fondness, his interactions with Dr. Mandke, beginning with one at the Calgary Brihan Maharashtra Meet, a few years back. Dr. Bung then goes on to explore the possibility of Dr, Mandke's untimely death. From what he writes, Dr. Mandke was totally overcome by the project to build his cherished dream of hospital in Mumbai and money for that ambitious project was hard to come by. Dr. Bung narrates how Dr. Mandke's appeal at the above
mentioned Calgary meet drew a very lukewarm response from the NRI Marathi crowd."........
If Dr. Bang has said that, he is talking "nonsense."
I have asked for copy of Dr. Bang's letter, which I hope to receive
in a few days. I was present at this BMM convention and met both Dr. Bang
and Dr. Mandke. I heard speeches given by Dr. Mandke and Dr. Bang.
I heard their "impromptu" appeals for funds. I heard the "scientific"
presentation made by Dr. Bang. I saw the "promotional" documentary that
was shown by Dr. Mandke. At the same convention Dr, Bang and Dr.
Mandke were felicitated for their work and were given "Award of Excellence",
with more than 1500 in attendance. When both these gentlemen made
an appeal to the attendees for financial support, hurriedly many volunteers
set up stations to collect the funds. Within just a couple of hr.
"thousands" of dollars were contributed by some 500 families who were attending
this convention. Between Drs. Bang (together with his wife Rani, who is
also a physician and has worked with him with the same devotion), and Dr.
Mandke, Drs. Bang's work received much admiration because, he and his wife
Rani, have devoted their "missionary and selfless" efforts to improve the
health care in a remote area, populated by very very poor and who had virtually
"no access" to any type of medical help. If anyone looks objectively at
Drs. Bang's work, it is very clear that their yr.. of work was, and is
being, conducted in probably the most adverse conditions. Their work has
a very unique approach. Their work has received worldwide admiration and
acceptance. I am completely familiar with all the details of Drs. Bangs'
work and their evangelical messages. I have personally talked to Dr. Bang
in Calgary. I also briefly talked with Dr. Mandke. I was impressed with
the work of both, but clearly Drs. Bangs must receive much more credit
because of the adversity in which they have done and are still doing their
work (after a massive heart attack Dr. Bang suffered and survived).
Dr, Mandke is not unique in his efforts to establish a cardiac hospital
in Mumbai, which by its very nature will cater to the "rich" and
politically influential persons like Balasaheb Thakre. There are
many such hospital projects that have been undertaken by Indian NRI physicians,
and by other "influential" persons (e.g. Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital
in Pune, where only 30 out of 400 will cater the health care needs of those
who cannot pay in advance for their medical care). Some are even
more deserving of financial support than Dr. Mandke's hospital in Mumbai
(e.g. MEDICITI Project in Hyderabad established by Dr. Sudhakar Reddy).
It is quite likely that those who were at Calgary
BMM convention donated more funds to Dr. Bang's project than for Dr. Mandke's
"futuristic" and " esoteric" cardiac hospital which will cater to those
who have "cardiac" problems, rather than those very very poor who need
very basic medical and pediatric care which Drs. Bang have provided for
many years. In comparison, Dr. Bang's work has "a very great emotional
appeal", and it is quite likely that at the Calgary BMM convention Dr.
Bang received more financial help. (If I remember correctly Dr. Bang collected
over $15,000 in two hr.) It is therefore totally wrong for
Dr. Bang to cast aspersions on Maharashtrian NRIs (if he has done so),
and it is asinine for anyone to make the following conclusion, "Am I
surprised at the selfishness of the NRIs?" You are dead wrong.......Balwant
Dixit
Mahesh Velankar
Shall very much like to read your post when you do receive the copy
of Dr. Bung's speech.
Balwant Dixit <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<3EE9CF49...@pitt.edu>...
> --
Pradeep
Let me clarify, that last line of my post, "Am I surprised at the
selfishness of the NRIs" is MY OWN, and not a part of what Dr. Bung
wrote. Dr. Bung hasn't cast any aspirations on the Calgery crowd.
>
> If Dr. Bang has said that, he is talking "nonsense." I have asked
> for copy of Dr. Bang's letter, which I hope to receive in a few days.
You don't need to 'ask for a copy'. Here it is:
http://www.loksatta.com/daily/20030603/mum01.htm
I have summarised here in a loose translation whet he wrote in the
letter:
"Dr. Mandke detailed out the information of his project of the Heart
ailments related hospital under way in Mumbai, to the Marathi crowd.
Aware that words could not convey the whole impact, he also showed a
video documentary about the project at this juncture. He expected
Maharashtrian NRIs to contribute to this project. But then, this was a
project for heart surgeries...ailments that
usually affect the middle class or the rich people; with high tech
elements and of a grand scale..somwhat 'five star'ian. On account of
these reasons, people were not forthcoming to donate to this cause.
But Dr. Mandke was overcome by his vision. He was perhaps aware of
this apparent contradiction, but wasn't ready to accept these. "Why do
these people not join me in my dream?" his dismay was surfacing
repeatedly (during my talks to him)."Dr. Mandke may be getting money
(for this project) from Balasaheb Thakre as well as from the rich in
Mumbai, so why 'waste' my small donation to this cause?" Lest the
gathered NRI crowd nursed such misgivings, he narrated at length his
disappointing experience with the riches of Mumbai.
And yet, there wasn't much response to his appeal.Hercules would bear
the entire Earth on his shoulders, but unlike with the Gowardhan
parwat, where the gopaals came forward with their sticks to help (Shri
Krishna) out, there weren't many people to partake the share. This
Herculus dreamnt unusually big. He took on a daunting responsibility.
Even before the hospital became operative, he has had to pay an
interest worth Rs. 4.5 m per month to the banks towards the loans he
took out for this project. To be able to do that, this person had to
work from five in the morning until twelve midnight, performing heart
surgeries at other hospitals in Mumbai.But was Hercules tiring himself
out? Had the burden become unbearable?
Visionaries seem to have to confront this problem. Others simply fail
to understand and appreaciate their vision. As Henry Thoreau said" If
a man does not keep pace with his fellow companions, it is perhaps
bevause he hears a different drummer". "
> many years. In comparison, Dr. Bang's work has "a very great emotional
> appeal", and it is quite likely that at the Calgary BMM convention Dr.
> Bang received more financial help. (If I remember correctly Dr. Bang
> collected over $15,000 in two hr.)
...........
>It is therefore totally wrong for
> Dr. Bang to cast aspersions on Maharashtrian NRIs (if he has done so),
> and it is asinine for anyone to make the following conclusion, "Am I
> surprised at the selfishness of the NRIs?" You are dead
> wrong.......Balwant Dixit
>
> --
How many top notch Maharashtrians, the cream NRIs, a cross section of
professionasl from various fields of work, had gathered at the meet? I
don't know but my reasonable guess is 500? That makes it USD30- per
individual present there to contribute to the very worthy cause of Dr.
Abhay and Dr. Rani Bung!!! Great going this, indeed.
I wrote what I did, based upon my own experience of the NRIs. I see
for myself how stingy these people become when it comes to supporting
any good noble cause. Let me cite a good example. At Kargil time, when
the Indian Army had put out a call to help the victims of the cause
(and especially the families of those who lost their lives), you
should have noted the great contributions that came forth from the
NRIs? (The names and countries of abode were publicised by the Army on
their web site). They were typically like USD21.- ,USD11.-, USD 51.-
and the likes. They were giving out Dakshinaas, I suppose!!! Varsha
Bhosle rightly ridiculed these worthies at that time through her
Rediff column.
It is a fact the NRIs are selfish. Even when they feel like reaching
to help some cause, it will be with (selfish oriented) strings
attached. ("Name a step leading to the hallway after me", or " grant
me special rights to this place when I visit India").
.....Pradeep
Balwant Dixit
dream to build his "cardiac care" hospital in Mumbai. As I have said
before, that many other NRIs, and persons in India, have also undertaken
such ambitious projects. Taking one's dream to reality is hard work,
and probably very very stressful. Dr. Mandke's project was not unique
in that respect and the amount of stress he was under also was not
unique. I personally know at least a few such persons in USA who have
worked for years to raise millions of dollars to make their dreams come
true. They were dreamers just like Dr. Mandke. Some of them could not
raise the funds they needed, and they failed. Some probably blamed NRIs
for their failure. Some others persevered, had the "Midas touch" and
have raised literally "millions" in USA. Organizationally, to raise
funds in USA for different projects need different mechanisms. It takes
a long time to establish credibility of your project, a sustained
effort, and involvement of many like minded persons (from NRIs and
persons from India) to accomplish that goal. One visit to a BMM
convention is not an indication of generosity of Maharashtrian NRIs or
others in USA. During many years I have been in USA, I have seen what
is happening in USA in this area of fund raising. It is a very very
difficult job. I have been involved in fund raising efforts for the
past 35 yr. in USA. In one such instance it took a bunch of dedicated
volunteers more than six months of work, to raise some $45,000 in one
night in to support a clinic in Mumbai. I was a part of that group. It
took several persons to raise $10,000 (or more) to pay the medical bills
of Pandit V. G. Jog, who is critically ill. I was a part of that effort
too. I am still continuing that effort. NRIs have raised literally
hundreds of thousands of dollars to support earthquake and flood relief
efforts. I have participated in those efforts. Even for less worthy
causes, like Savarkar movie, it took Sudhir Phadke several years to
raise some $300,000 in USA/Canada. I was not a part of that because I
thought that raising funds for the production of a movie should be done
through private enterprise system. If Dr. Bang, Dr. Mandke, or anyone
of you, think that in one BMM meeting the NRIs should have poured
thousands of dollars to support Dr. Mandke's dream or Dr. Bung's
project, you are unrealistic. And to conclude that NRIs do not support
worthy projects in india is dead wrong. During the BMM convention in
Boston Lata Mangeshkar also made such "unkind" remarks. She is dead
wrong too. Dr. Mandke and Dr. Bung had not established their
credibility with the NRIs across the board when they met with BMM
convention crowd. The response of NRIs at the BMM convention is what I
call a spontaneous emotional response, and it went in favor of Dr. Bung
at Calgary. (One correction: I was informed yesterday that at the BMM
Convention Dr. Bang actually collected around $30,000).
Dr. Bung's poetic description of Dr. Mandke's efforts as Herculean
task that overwhelmed his health may sound very appealing, but it gives
a wrong impression that Dr. Mandke suffered his heart attack because he
could not cope up with such stress. A very large number of "hard
working" persons have performed admirably under "constant and high
levels of stress." Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Savarkar,
Charles DeGaulle, Einstein, Mother Theresa, Maharshi Karve, Babasaheb
Amte and others in the Amte family (not Balasaheb Thakarey), and many
others have done their work under much more prolonged stressful
conditions than Dr. Mandke. Stress alone, no matter how intense and how
chronic it is, does not single handedly cause heart attacks or heart
disease. Predisposition factors such as the "lipid profile" (HDL below
30, LDL over 100, high cholesterol, high triglycerides etc.), insulin
sensitivity, smoking, diabetes etc. are more important risk factors than
just the "stress." It is an established fact that persons of Indian
origin, no matter where they are living, are 4-5 times more prone to
heart disease, even when they are strict vegetarians. Dr. Mandke and
Dr. Bung in their lectures have constantly emphasized these aspects and
have urged persons of Indian origin to look at these "risk factors" and
change their behavior so as to counteract, at least partially, the
adverse effects of these risk factors. It is possible to do that in
many cases. Whether he followed his own advice or not I cannot say, but
the degree of coronary blockage they found at the time of his angiogram
in the Hinduja Hospital was so substantial that it could not have
happened in a few months. It was a chronic phenomenon and with a timely
intervention could have been taken into account. One cannot say
whether such evaluation would have helped him. My personal experience
is that it should have helped him to modify his work schedule to
minimize or reduce the risk.
It is becoming fashionable now a days to blame NRIs for the
unfulfilled dreams and needs of Indians in India. It is also true that
the current political leaders in India are raising more and more
obstacles in the efforts of NRIs who have the resources and the will to
help specific causes in India. One stupidest ideas is of "Dakshina
Fund" recently established by the Indian government. That is all
folks......BND
Pradeep
> Some probably blamed NRIs
> for their failure.
Who were they?
OK, for a while, let us leave Dr. Mandke aside because there can be
different perceptions to the root cause of the project. But I believe
everyone present at the Calgery meet was as overwhelmed as yourself
with what the Bungs are doing, in remote parts of India. Then why was
the contribution so low? USD 60,000 for top notch NRI Maharashtrians
from North America and Canada pooling amongst themselves , and when I
estimate at least 500 families attending the meet is still *abysmally*
low. Unless someone from amongst the NRIS followed it up with a
sustained effort and pooled in money subsequently. If that is so,
please do enlighten us on what those efforts were. Let me remind you,
the Bungs were (or are) not an organisation doing business, and so to
expect them to follow up the efforts etc. is stretching things too
much.
> > It is becoming fashionable now a days to blame NRIs for the
> unfulfilled dreams and needs of Indians in India.
I don't know about fashions. I am a NRI myself. I talk from my own
experience and what I observe. I look at the Chinese and their extreme
sense of nationalism. Which they furtively put into action when the
need arises. How do we rate the NRIs in comparison to the Chinese
'NRCs'? The oh-so-holy NRIs need a Dr. Bung to follow up his appeal at
one meet of all NA and Canada based Maharashtrians with further
'follow ups' in soliciting money to his projects.
Coming back to Dr. Mandke's dismal collections at the Calgery meet, I
wonder what the response to Dr. Mandke would have been, had he put
forth a scheme involving a 'return' to the NRIs. Contribute USD1,000-
to my project and have one of your kith and kin back home treated
preferentially (quick, personal treatement from Dr. Mandke himself)
for free. Or, contribute USD 10,000- or more and have preferential
treatement to four of your kith and kins back home....Ah, that would
have sounded interesting to the NRIs and money would have poured in.
Because that would have been an 'investment' and not donations (zero
returns). Then of course, all objections to the root cause of the
project being too-high-tech and not much helpful to the poor and the
needy would have vanished in thin air.
......Pradeep
Pradeep
One stupidest ideas is of "Dakshina
> Fund" recently established by the Indian government. That is all
> folks......BND
Well, they realised the NRIs are good at giving out Dakshinaas (and
only just that.....remember Kargil contributions to the Army? USD11.-
USD21.--USD51.--!!), so probably devised a fund to tap that great
potential :)
.....Pradeep
Mahesh Velankar
> Coming back to Dr. Mandke's dismal collections at the Calgery meet, I
> wonder what the response to Dr. Mandke would have been, had he put
> forth a scheme involving a 'return' to the NRIs. Contribute USD1,000-
> to my project and have one of your kith and kin back home treated
> preferentially (quick, personal treatement from Dr. Mandke himself)
> for free. Or, contribute USD 10,000- or more and have preferential
> treatement to four of your kith and kins back home....Ah, that would
> have sounded interesting to the NRIs and money would have poured in.
> Because that would have been an 'investment' and not donations (zero
> returns). Then of course, all objections to the root cause of the
> project being too-high-tech and not much helpful to the poor and the
> needy would have vanished in thin air.
>
vaidyakeey upachaar he bhaaShaa, sa.nskRutee, desh, li.ng vagaire
vagaire shee saMba.ndhit nasataat. aaNi chaa.ngale <Doctors> he
tattva DoLyaasamor Thevoon rogyaa.nvar upachaar kareet asataat.
chaa.ngalyaa <Hospital> chaa phaayadaa maraaThee, hi.ndee, gujaraatee,
kaanaDee ashyaa saaRyaach lokaa.nnaa jhaalaa asataa naahee kaa? mag
DO. maa.nDake aaNi ba.ng maraaThee maaNasaa.nnantar itar kuThalyaa
kuThalyaa <NRIs> kaDe gele? tithe tyaannaa kaay anubhava aalaa?
kitee deNagyaa miLaalyaa? itar <Doctors> chaa deNagyaa.nbaddalachaa
anubhav kaay aahe (maraaThee va/vaa itar <NRIs> baddal?
Pradeep
> pras...@netvigator.com (Pradeep) wrote in message news:<e512a42b.03061...@posting.google.com>...
> > Balwant Dixit <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<3EEB371A...@pitt.edu>...
>
> >
> vagaire shee saMba.ndhit nasataat. aaNi chaa.ngale <Doctors> he
> tattva DoLyaasamor Thevoon rogyaa.nvar upachaar kareet asataat.
>
> chaa.ngalyaa <Hospital> chaa phaayadaa maraaThee, hi.ndee, gujaraatee,
> kaanaDee ashyaa saaRyaach lokaa.nnaa jhaalaa asataa naahee kaa? mag
> DO. maa.nDake aaNi ba.ng maraaThee maaNasaa.nnantar itar kuThalyaa
> kuThalyaa <NRIs> kaDe gele? tithe tyaannaa kaay anubhava aalaa?
> kitee deNagyaa miLaalyaa? itar <Doctors> chaa deNagyaa.nbaddalachaa
> anubhav kaay aahe (maraaThee va/vaa itar <NRIs> baddal?
My comments are not confined to Marathi NRIs alone. I have been
referring to (all) NRIs when I castigate their selfish behaviour.
Although, in these particular cases, I don't know whether Drs. Mandke
and Bung also appealed to non-Maharashrtrian NRIs, and if they did so,
whatever were their experiences. I will be surprised if they were any
better.
But we are focussing on the Maharashtrians NRIs here because (a) this
discussion is confined to SCIM and (b) the reference was to the
Calgery meet (in Dr. Bung's letter).
Also, if my understanding is right, Dr. Bung was not on a money
hunting missive in the US. He was at Calgery at the invitation of the
organisers and took the opportunity to inform the ensemble what his
mission was, supporting it with slides and narratives. (I have read
the complete transcript of the presentation he did at that meet, it
appeared in Saptahik Sakaal's Deewali Ank last year. I have a copy of
that issue with me).
I will be looking forward to someone posting a follow up on (1) the
number of Maharashtrian families who attended that meet where they
raised an impromptu contribution of USD 30,000- to the cause of Dr.
Bung and (2) if any of the Maharashtrians present at the meet or who
heard of Dr. Bung's mission got together and pooled in any further
money to the mission, as a follow up. I understand from the BMM web
site that there are 45 NA based + 4 other (London, S'pore , Dubai and
Tokyo ) MMandals (it's chapters) associated with it. Therefore, my
earlier estimate that only 500 families attended was, in all
probability, a gross underestimate. So, if someone touts USD30,000- as
a significant contribution to Dr. Bung's mission, I will hang my head
in shame on behalf of all Marathi NRIs (I am one, that's why). At
least, I am introspective and not patronising to the fellow Indians I
left behind in my motherland.
...Pradeep