There are rare people who feel the pains of those in distress and scramble worrying about their welfare. Among those rare people is Dr. Naurang Singh Mangat who has been looking after homeless-sick lying on the roadsides and other places for the last 14 years. Though Dr. Mangat immigrated to Canada in 1996; yet he never forgot the cries of the homeless, abandoned, and discarded lying on the streets back in his home state Punjab. He pledged to wipe off their tears and provide dignity like the rest of us. With this resolution, he forsook Canadian comforts, went back to Punjab in 2005, and surrendered himself to the welfare of the downtrodden and dejected. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.
In the beginning for many years (from 2005 to 2009) without any office and building, this former Professor and Scientist of Statistics of PAU Ludhiana, Univ. of Windsor (Canada), and Morrison Scientific Inc. Calgary, (Canada) pedalled his bicycle on the roads of Ludhiana and surrounding areas. Scorching heat and freezing winter could not stop the wheels of his bicycle. He picked up numerous homeless sick lying on the streets and saved their lives by providing FREE medical help. However, at that time he did not have any place where he could provide shelter to these homeless patients for follow up treatment.
So in 2008, he purchased 3000 sq. yards land (now it is 9500 sq. yards) near village Sarabha and started with kerosene lamp (for light) and kerosene stove (for cooking) in a mudroom. His hard work and unflinching belief to help the poor led to the construction of a three storey building called “Guru Amar Das Apahaj Ashram” near village Sarabha. For many years he continued this mission singlehandedly; now it is being run by a Registered Charitable Trust.
The vulnerable, disabled, mentally challenged, paralyzed and poor sick virtually living in hell on the roadsides and other places are brought to the Ashram. Every effort is made to save their lives. Since 2011, around 300 patients have been admitted in the Ashram. Some of them have expired and some have regained health after treatment and were rehabilitated. Those patients who could not improve much live in the Ashram permanently. Of the current 120 homeless patients living in the Ashram, 85 are male and 35 are females. Many are mentally challenged, disabled, paralyzed, unable to answer the call of nature at their own, cannot even recall their own name or whereabouts. Fifteen people (employees, volunteers, and doctors) are working at the Ashram to take care of these sick patients.
Those needing to get in touch with Dr. Mangat can contact Sikh24 for his contact information.
