Shabir Hussain Khan knows the value of blood since childhood, when his family had to pay exorbitantly for 20 pints of blood required for his father. A reason he hasn’t stopped after donating 100 pints in three decades. Hamidullah Dar reports.
One, two or three; no it is 123 pints of blood that Shabir Hussain Khan alias Khadim has donated in the last 29 years. A resident of Kamangerpora locality in Srinagar, Hussain volunteered for blood donation first at the tender age of 10.
“My father was suffering from cancer in 1980 and needed 20 pints of blood. Being poor, nobody cared for us and we had to arrange it privately for an exorbitant price of Rs 900 per pint. However, father could not defeat the disease and we were orphaned in 1983; I being the older one aged ten,” said Khan.
Disturbed at the helplessness caused due to the non availability of blood for poor, Hussain told his father that he will donate blood to needy. “The first person to whom I donated my blood in 1980 was a footballer who got injured while playing at Shaheed Gunj. I and my three friends donated blood that saved his life,” Khan said.
Having committed himself to social service, Hussain’s family lives hand to mouth. “Our monthly income is 1500 rupees from my younger brother’s salary as a salesman. We have no other source as social service consumes most of my time,” says Hussain with an apparent complaint of indifference to the nation he feeds with his blood.
At the age of 23 in 1993, Hussain started expanding the ambit of his mission by establishing a voluntary organisation, Ahl-e- Bait-e- Tahireen Charitable Trust and Blood Bank. Today the organisation boasts of a membership of 1300 volunteers who not only donate blood but also support the organisation financially. “Every member pays an annual donation of 50 rupees that we utilise while organising blood donation camps, medical camps and other emergency services in the valley. The Red Cross also provides us refreshment or hospital team when required”, says Hussain.
A 9th grade school dropout, Hussain says that his organisation has so far held 200 blood donation camps, 300 medical camps besides other emergency relief camps. “Till date we have collected about 4500 pints of blood during our camps organised at different places in the valley. The collected blood is handed over to SMHS and Lal Ded hospitals for utilisation. We ensure that at least 50 per cent of it should reach to the deserving destitute who cannot pay. Another 50 per cent remains at the disposal of the hospital authorities who use it during emergencies”, informs Hussain.
Although Hussain complains that his contribution is not acknowledged by his countrymen, outsiders do shower accolades on him. “In 1988, Mother Teresa invited me to Calcutta and praised my work for saving human lives by giving my blood. However, in my own state people only discourage by scolding at your efforts on real social service. I am fed up by the indifferent attitude of my fellow people,” Hussain says many things in one breath.
By the age of 23, Hussain had donated 73 pints of blood, a record for south Asia. From 1990, different organisation and officials have been recommending him for National Award for social service but till date nothing has come in his way.
Hussain has also visited other places to render social service. “I visited Tamil Nadu with a team of Red Cross after the 2004 Tsunami and remained there for two months helping the victims.”
With O-negative blood group, Hussain has not limited his mission to any religion or community. “We provide services to needy human beings irrespective of their creed, caste, colour and community. Only some days before, we donated five pints of blood to a Hindu woman.”
“However we do accept donations from Muslims only,” he further added.
Hussain may have saved a hundred lives, but his life remains lost in the mission. With no income, Hussain has shelved the idea of marriage as well. “Voluntarism can bring you good words from those whom you help but cannot feed your family which is the sad part of it.”
