In the busy streets of Pune, India, in between the city chaos and traffic noise, you might witness a silent revolution that brews right on the roads – something that will bring tears to your eyes and hope in your hearts. You will see a young doctor doing his duties on the streets and charging absolutely nothing. His patients? Elderly homeless, the beggars, the ones who may live and die on the streets without finding the health problems they may have! This young doctor in Pune goes by the name of Dr Abhijit Sonawane, standing as a beacon of hope for thousands living on and off the streets.
Today, we shall share the story of Dr Abhijit of Pune who is also fondly called as Doctor of Beggars in Pune.
Know all about Dr Abhijit Sonwane – The Doctor of Beggars and Homeless in Pune
Every morning, Dr. Abhijit embarks on his mission. Armed with compassion and two bags laden with medicine, he sets out to temples, mosques, and churches, where the elderly and homeless gather in search of alms. Here, in between the crowd, he becomes their healer, their advocate, and their friend.
“We provide all the basic health care and investigations on the road itself to the elder beggars, who are abandoned by their families and who are begging just to survive in this world,” says Dr. Abhijit, his voice filled with determination.
With each check-up and every dose of medicine, Dr. Abhijit not only tends to their physical ailments but also offers solace to their weary souls. He listens to their stories, shares their burdens, and ignites the spark of hope within them.
“We create a relationship with them as their family member. Once we build the rapport with them, we start counseling and convince them to leave this begging trade,” Dr. Abhijit says, his eyes shining with conviction. “We are proud to say that since April 2017, we have supported 49 elderly citizens to leave the begging trade.”
Extending a healing hand to those who have been forgotten by the world
Dr. Abhijit Sonwane, a pass out of 1999, started treating the homeless and street beggars in 2015 after quitting his high paying job in Mumbai. But in between 1999 and 2015, a lot happened. In his early years, he used to go door-to-door in villages and ask if there were patients he could look at. He could manage not more than Rs. 40 per day. It is in this phase that he met a beggar couple who would offer him food and even motivate him at times, when he absolutely had no money at all.
Things changed, he got jobs and finally when he became Maharashtra head under an International organization with 2 lakh monthly salary and overall, 5 lakh monthly household income (including his wife’s), he decided to give back the community through his work and services. He left the job and came back to the streets in Pune.
And as he continues doing the good work, his mission extends beyond mere medical aid. Dr. Abhijit and his wife Dr. Manisha Sonawane envision a future where these individuals stand on their own feet once more. Through counseling and support, they empower them to start their own businesses, reclaiming their dignity and independence.
In their modest clinic, Dr. Manisha Sonawane works tirelessly. It is here that the seeds of hope planted on the streets blossom into tangible change. “People ask us how we survive. The answer is, we have one small clinic which is run by my wife,” Dr. Abhijit shares with pride.
The Doctor couple also leads the Soham Trust, an organization dedicated to extending a healing hand to those who have been forgotten by the world.
Today, they have 1100+ homeless individuals under their care. The trust provides them with much-needed medicines, fund surgeries for cataract patients, and enable the relocation of elderly beggars to safe havens with the help of crowdfunding and donations received to the trust.
Together, Dr Abhijit Sonawane and Dr. Manisha Sonawane light the path of hope for those who have been forgotten. And it is through the support of the people they ensure that their legacy of compassion and healing endures, casting a beacon of light in the darkest corners of society.
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