In a quiet corner of Hyderabad, untouched by the trappings of fame, lives a man whose heart has echoed with compassion for the past four decades.Social activist Dr. Raghu Arikapudiis a ‘one-man-army’,who has garnered support from various voluntary organizations and individuals apart from his own contribution of over 2.5 crore, touching more than 25, 000 families. A small -time employee with the government defence establishment Bharat Dynamics Limited, now retired, he has built a legacy of selfless service inspired by the path of saints and visionaries like Mother Theresa and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Families of farmers battling drought, differently abled individuals striving for dignity, fluorosis victims, students in pursuit of education and countless others grappling with life’s harsh realities have felt the warmth of his timely support and kind words.To him, service is not charity. It is duty. A prayer in action. His daily prayer to God, Raghu says is simple, yet profound. “Let me not be alive the day I am unable to help another human being”.
JOURNEY TOWARDS SERVICE
Born in a farmer’s family in a remote village called Chemallamudi in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Raghu Arikapudi completed his ITI,joining Bharat Dynamics Limited in 1984as an apprentice andlater as a technician in the Missile manufacturing unit Gyro (referred to as the heart of the missile) in 1990. By the time he retired in March 2024 after 33 years of service, he had left behind an unparalleled legacy of giving.His stint with service began in the CITU trade union in the early days of his career where he was involved in securing ration cards for families of immigrant labour who lived in dire conditions.Soon disillusioned by the trade unions, he decided to charter his own course. After serving as a director and general secretary of theBDL employees Consumers Cooperative Society for over a decade, he started the ‘Winners Foundation’ in the year 2012 expanding his social service activities to cover more people.
FINDING THE NEEDY FROM NEWS STORIES
Unlike most people who read newspapers for information or entertainment Dr.Raghu Arikapudi scans them for human interest stories. Regional papers with details of those in despair have him travel to their homes in the nook and corner of the Telugu states extending the helping hand that they so desperately need.“I get up at 5 AM everyday and go through newspapers looking for people in need of help and make every effort to reach them immediately” Dr.Raghu says. Reaching out to rural kids and helping them reach their true potential is most satisfying and he has supplied ‘school kits’ with school bags, books, study material and toys to 6000 kids in the most backward areas. In partnership with the government education department, he has extended counselingto 10,000 students in 100 government schools so far.Helping farmers in distress and the differently abled has been a commitment close to his heart says Dr. Raghu who is happy that he has helped1000families of differently abled people lead a life of dignity. Braille kits andwalking sticks for the blind andwheel chairs and tricycles have been distributed to many and he plans to take up these works with greater focus in three mandals in Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Sangareddy in Telangana.With the help of an NRI doctor who runs the Hope4 Spandana foundationhe has reached out to 150fluoride victims in 25 villages in Marriguda, Munugodu and Nampally mandals in Nalgonda district with wheel chairs, mobile medical services, food and employment. This collaboration continued when the Covid virus struck and he helped more than 1000 families directly and 20, 000 indirectly Dr. Raghu informs.
Another initiative is the collaboration with Hope 4 Spandana where 90 differently abled people were provided investment ranging from Rs 40, 000 to 1 lakh to run grocery stores, fancy and tailoring units, mechanic shops and hair cutting saloons in Telangana. Women, kids suffering from Thalassemiaand those affected by natural disasters are part of his long list of beneficiaries. His latest philanthropyis inspired by the story of a daily wage earner Gandhiram Jena from Orissa who is known as the “Tree man”and spends 90 percent of his earning on planting saplings to save the environment. Anamount of 20 thousand rupees pooled through his Arikapudi trust was sent to help him repair his hut and buy groceries for the entire year.
AWARDS AND APPRECIATION
Dr.Raghu has received over 100 awards including state, national and international awards.Awards from the Indian Red Cross society, the prestigious Abdul Kalam award,gold medals and citations from the government and a string of awards from several organizations are part of this long list but he remains ever humble andgrounded. Dr.Raghu Arikapudi’s story is that of a true hero- quiet, consistent and immensely impactful. A reminder that greatness does not always roar, sometimes it whispers through the kind acts of an ordinary man with an extraordinary heart.
Article Credit: thehansindia