Sadashiv Govind Katre – a victim of leprosy, struck by exile from not only common
society but even from family, firmly walked out in search of solution to this stigma
and arrived in champa in 1960, a region of utmost poverty illiteracy, superstition,
yet a place which induced him to pave out a way to success- now being recognized and
proudly spoken of as “Bhartiya Kushth Niwarak Sangh”.
It was an era of constant struggle to convince is not contagious nor is incurable.
Constant perseverance, patience and continuous endurance of years and years, which
could be seen materialized as a recognized social institution now a big organization
and is being acknowledged nationwide in the filed of leprosy eradication movement of
the country.
Could any body think that a leprosy struck patient at the age of 55, riding on a
hired bicycle and covering miles together, trying to convince the people and make
them come forward with a hand of help and cooperation for a cause of eradication of
not only the disease but the stigma thereof, thus bridging the dearth between the
sufferer and the confused society? Shri Katreji’s resent less efforts are praise
worthy and are guideline for those who feel sympathy and are prepared to lend a hand
of cooperation in this field. A flock of such workers joined hands and the tribe
increased.
People from different professions, expertise, thus come together with a common goal
of leprosy eradication and rehabilitation of those who were once lapers but now
normal. A flame of self confidence was sufficient to recharge the confidence in
those persons who are now doing miracles in the various fields as being enumerated
in forth coming pages.
