(Rahul Verma is founder of Uday Foundation, a small grass root non profit organisation that believes in health with dignity. He is currently working for relief work for Kashmir Floods with in-hand experience of working for Uttarakhand floods and other disasters)This was my first visit to Srinagar and Kashmir to me was the place where actor Shammi Kapoor had danced. A happy place filled with beautiful people and places.
As my plane landed in Srinagar, I saw hundreds of people waiting at the airport for their flights to leave. But there were also many young people coming into Srinagar to volunteer for relief work. They reached from different parts of the country with packets of food, medicine and other essentials to help the people of flood-hit Kashmir.
While talking to a young boy in his early 20s, I got a glimpse of the bright future of our country. He said just liking a post on facebook would not solve anything. Being cool for him is to reach directly to the place where help is needed.
I saw flooded roads just ten minutes into my drive from the airport. Local volunteers were working selflessly, guiding people, giving directions, helping women and children to ferry boats from one place to another, distributing food packets, holding medical camps in a small tempo.
Although there was a panic all around, these volunteers seemed calm and composed.
I have been part of many disaster relief operations and I have usually seen chaos, confusion, rumours and criticism. This time, I saw hope as an entire nation stands together for Kashmir. I saw private airlines taking our material to Kashmir free of cost. I saw Air India not only flying our relief material free, but also coordinating with our volunteers on what was required In Kashmir urgently.
I saw a young girl packing material and later came to know that she works as an under secretary with the government and took leave to volunteer in Kashmir. I now see India as a mature nation of young people, who are standing strongly behind the people of Kashmir. Where ever they are, their hearts are in Kashmir.
At Uday Foundation we are sending relief through various airlines every day and are waiting for roads to open so that we can start sending relief material to the villages and other remote areas.
The owner of Hotel Nishat View' located on Shalimar Road in Srinagar was very generous. He offered us his entire hotel for relief work and to run a health centre till things get back to normal. Our Medical and Relief Centre is operational from today evening with team of Doctors and Paramedics already on the way to Srinagar. We'll also run two mobile health clinics to reach out to maximum people possible.
I am again leaving for Srinagar tomorrow early morning to join my team working there since endless days with sleepless nights, with a hope that life will again shine bright there. And that I will see Ranbir Kapoor, the grand-nephew of the late Shammi Kapoor, dancing around chinar trees in happy Kashmir.
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