Interview Mr. Nau Nihal Singh : When Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I have come to believe that in order for us to pursue “something” we need to connect to it at a deep emotional level. Until we ourselves are not affected by it, we cannot expect others to see it the way we would like them to.

During my recent trip to our capital city, I was blessed with an opportunity of meeting Mr. Nau Nihal Singh, 87 years old.. Nope, he isn’t a politician nor a rich business tycoon or some ex-Bollywood personality; to me he is in fact no less than a real-life “Hero”. And this is his story.

Fondly known as Papaji, Mr. Singh was born in 1922 in Lahore, Pakistan. An advocate by profession, and like most patriotic young men of his generation, he fought for India’s freedom in his youth. In recognition of his services, the Government of India awarded him a Freedom Fighter status. After India’s Partition, Papaji, moved to Shimla with his young wife and baby daughter. He made Delhi his home since 1955.

But as they say “change” is the only constant thing in life, Mr. Singh lost his beloved wife, a companion of nearly 50 years. A loss of such magnitude, where most of us would simply accept it as part of life, Papaji thought of those in similar shoes but left with no support from the “family”. However just relying on a noble thought doesn’t really make any difference, Papaji knew that he had to make a start somewhere and so he did.

In 1992, at the age of 70, he founded Aashirwad Senior Citizen Council. Through the Council, he ran a Day Care Center from his own home, with the help of his daughters, for those senior members of the community who have lost their spouse or are lonely - basically an outlet to meet friends, go for social events and be advocates for the rights of senior citizens.

Did you know today India is home to one out of every ten senior citizens of the world? Nearly half of the elderly are fully dependent on others, while another 20 percent are partially so. And worse still, since women’s economic position in our society depends largely on marital status, women who are widowed and living alone are found to be the worst among the poor and vulnerable.

After watching day-in-day-out the challenges faced by elderly people in their lives due to ill-treatment by their children or just lack of care, Papaji felt just running a day care center wasn’t enough, a structured plan was needed. And so he started Aashirwad Senior Citizen Home in 2004 to meet the needs of those left to rot by their very own.

It’s so ironic isn’t it - one hand we place so much importance on traditional norms and values of Indian society on showing respect and providing care for the elderly. But on the other hand, many conveniently bend these norms to suit their personal requirements without giving a thought about those whom they are hurting in the process.

And that’s not it, if the double standards of our culture doesn’ bog you down, our ever-helping (not!!) government and judicial system surely will. Setting up Aashirwad Senior Citizen Home didn’t come easy, just like many other things if you go by the legal way. It took Papaji five long years, umpteen rounds of Ministry of Social Welfare & DDA (Delhi Development Authority) and monetary favors practically from everyone he knew - as he mentioned with a lop-sided grin, “I became a professional beggar in no time”.

The stories he mentioned, to one may appear right out of some Bollywood movie; son dropping of his father and never looking back, an aged-woman visited only by her nieces living in US but her own children couldn’t care less, a home-less man in early 50s suffering from amnesia, a couple left behind simply because their family didn’t see them fit enough to move overseas with them. To me this is scary, I mean just the thought curls up my skin, can’t even begin to imagine living it.

Today, Aashirwad offers facilities which caters both, residential and other leisure activities for non-residents. They provide yoga, meditation, and invites guest speakers on a regular basis to speak on spiritual and motivational issues. The Home also runs a physio-therapy center with a doctor in attendance and has its own ambulances to be used in case of emergencies.

However Papaji’s troubles are far from over, regular funding is desperately needed to carry out and maintain the Home’s facilities and the betterment of those living in it. But Papaji, the bundle of energy that he is, even at this age and with the help of his daughters, is working hard towards his goals like there’s no tomorrow.

It’s mind-boggling isn’t it when you read about this man, who could have just so easily sat at home and enjoyed those perfect family moments with his children & grand-children but instead choose to dedicate that life to those who were not blessed with the same.

A hero to its truest form, that’s what Mr. Nau Nihal Singh is, to me and many others whoes lives he has touched.

[If you interested in helping the people at Aashirwad Senior Citizen Home, kindly contact Mrs. Winnie Singh on 98101-32908]

• Culture, Government, India, Interview, New Age Thinking, Random Thoughts
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