Abdul Sattar Edhi
Encyclopedia
Abdul Sattar Edhi, NI , or Maulana Edhi, as he is often known, is a Pakistani philanthropist
. He is head of the Edhi Foundation
, the world's largest ambulance help service and charity. Together with his wife, Bilquis Edhi
, he received the 1986 Ramon Magsaysay Award
for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the Lenin Peace Prize
and the Balzan Prize
. Edhi is a Muslim
of the Memon community. The Institute of Business Administration
, the first business school of the Pakistan
, conferred a honoris causa degree of Doctor of Social Service Management (11 November 2006), saying that the great national hero and all time legend Abdul Sattar Edhi deserved that for his unparalleled services to mankind. Also, on September 22, 2010 Edhi was awarded an honorary degree of Doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire.
in the Gujarat, British India. His family migrated to Karachi
, Pakistan in 1947 and in 1951 he purchased a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.
For him the world of suffering became his tutor and source of wisdom.
Edhi's mother died when he was 19. His personal experience made him think of thousands and millions, suffering like his mother, around with nobody to look after them. He thought that he had a call to help these people. He had a vision of chains of welfare centers and hospitals that could be opened to alleviate the pain of those suffering from illness and neglect. He also thought of the inhuman treatment meted out to the mentally ill, the insane and the disabled persons. Even at this early age, he felt personally responsible for taking on the challenge of developing a system of services to reduce human miseries. The task was huge; he had no resources. But it was something that he had to do even if he had to walk to the streets with a cap in hand to beg for this purpose.
Edhi and his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947. In order to earn his living, Abdul Sattar Edhi initially started as a pedlar, later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi. After a couple of years, he left this occupation and with the support of some members of his community decided to establish a free dispensary. He became involved in this charity work. However, soon his personal vision of a growing and developing system of multifarious services made him decide to establish a welfare trust of his own and named it "Edhi Trust". An appeal was made to the public for funds. The response was good, and Rs. 200,000 were raised. The range and scope of work of Edhi Trust expanded with remarkable speed under the driving spirit of the man behind it. A maternity home was established and emergency ambulance service was started. More donations were received as people's confidence in the activities of the trust grew. With the passage of time, masses gave him the title of the "Angel of mercy".
Abdul Sattar Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary. The couple have four children, two daughters and two sons. Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarter in Karachi and organizes the adoption of illegitimate and abandoned babies. The husband-wife team has come to share the common vision of single minded devotion to the cause of alleviation of human sufferings and a sense of personal responsibiliy to respond to each call for help, regardless of race, creed or status.
Despite his enormous fame and the vast sums of money that passes through his hands, Edhi adheres to a very modest lifestyle. He and his family live in a two room apartment adjacent to the premises of Foundation's headquarter. Neither Edhi nor Bilquis receives any salary.
The live on the income from government securities that Edhi bought many years ago to take care of their personal needs for the rest of their lives, thereby freeing them to devote single mindedly to their missionary work.
In November 2011, Edhi was nominated for a Nobel Peace prize by then Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.
by Egyptian authorities.
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
. He is head of the Edhi Foundation
Edhi Foundation
The Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare program in Pakistan, founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951.Edhi is the head of the organization and his wife Bilquis, a nurse, oversees the maternity and adoption services of the foundation. Its headquarters are in Karachi, Pakistan.The Edhi...
, the world's largest ambulance help service and charity. Together with his wife, Bilquis Edhi
Bilquis Edhi
Bilquis Bano Edhi Hilal-e-Imtiaz, , wife of Abdul Sattar Edhi, is a professional nurse and one of the most active philanthropists in Pakistan. She has been nicknamed, The Mother of Pakistan. She was born in 1947 in Karachi. She heads the Bilquis Edhi Foundation, and with her husband received the...
, he received the 1986 Ramon Magsaysay Award
Ramon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel...
for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the Lenin Peace Prize
Lenin Peace Prize
The International Lenin Peace Prize was the Soviet Union's equivalent to the Nobel Peace Prize, named in honor of Vladimir Lenin. It was awarded by a panel appointed by the Soviet government, to notable individuals whom the panel indicated had "strengthened peace among peoples"...
and the Balzan Prize
Balzan Prize
The International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
. Edhi is a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
of the Memon community. The Institute of Business Administration
Institute of Business Administration
* Institute of Business Administration, Karachi is the oldest business school in pakistan and is in Karachi, Pakistan.* Institute of Business Administration, Sukkar is located in Sukkar, Sindh, Pakistan and is not affiliated in any manner with IBA Karachi....
, the first business school of the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, conferred a honoris causa degree of Doctor of Social Service Management (11 November 2006), saying that the great national hero and all time legend Abdul Sattar Edhi deserved that for his unparalleled services to mankind. Also, on September 22, 2010 Edhi was awarded an honorary degree of Doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire.
Early life
Edhi was born in 1928 in BantvaBantva
Bantva, Bantwa is a small town in Kathiawar, a former district of the state of Gujarat in India.-Geography:Bantva is located at 21° 28' 60N and 70° 4' 60E, at an altitude of 20 meters. Nearby towns are Nanadiya, Limbuda, Manavadar, Vanthali, Junagadh, Keshod, Visavadar, Kutiyana, Dhoraji,...
in the Gujarat, British India. His family migrated to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan in 1947 and in 1951 he purchased a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.
Upbringing and Outlook
When Edhi was eleven years old, his mother became paralyzed and later grew mentally ill. Young Abdul Sattar devoted himself for looking after all her needs; cleaning, bathing, changing clothes and feeding. This proved to be a losing battle against the disease, and her helplessness increased over the years. Her persistent woeful condition left a lasting impression on young Edhi. The course of his life took a different turn from other persons of his age. His studies were also seriously affected and he could not complete his high school levelFor him the world of suffering became his tutor and source of wisdom.
Edhi's mother died when he was 19. His personal experience made him think of thousands and millions, suffering like his mother, around with nobody to look after them. He thought that he had a call to help these people. He had a vision of chains of welfare centers and hospitals that could be opened to alleviate the pain of those suffering from illness and neglect. He also thought of the inhuman treatment meted out to the mentally ill, the insane and the disabled persons. Even at this early age, he felt personally responsible for taking on the challenge of developing a system of services to reduce human miseries. The task was huge; he had no resources. But it was something that he had to do even if he had to walk to the streets with a cap in hand to beg for this purpose.
Edhi and his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947. In order to earn his living, Abdul Sattar Edhi initially started as a pedlar, later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi. After a couple of years, he left this occupation and with the support of some members of his community decided to establish a free dispensary. He became involved in this charity work. However, soon his personal vision of a growing and developing system of multifarious services made him decide to establish a welfare trust of his own and named it "Edhi Trust". An appeal was made to the public for funds. The response was good, and Rs. 200,000 were raised. The range and scope of work of Edhi Trust expanded with remarkable speed under the driving spirit of the man behind it. A maternity home was established and emergency ambulance service was started. More donations were received as people's confidence in the activities of the trust grew. With the passage of time, masses gave him the title of the "Angel of mercy".
Abdul Sattar Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary. The couple have four children, two daughters and two sons. Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarter in Karachi and organizes the adoption of illegitimate and abandoned babies. The husband-wife team has come to share the common vision of single minded devotion to the cause of alleviation of human sufferings and a sense of personal responsibiliy to respond to each call for help, regardless of race, creed or status.
Despite his enormous fame and the vast sums of money that passes through his hands, Edhi adheres to a very modest lifestyle. He and his family live in a two room apartment adjacent to the premises of Foundation's headquarter. Neither Edhi nor Bilquis receives any salary.
The live on the income from government securities that Edhi bought many years ago to take care of their personal needs for the rest of their lives, thereby freeing them to devote single mindedly to their missionary work.
Charity Work
Edhi Foundation runs the world's largest ambulance service and operates free old people's homes, orphanages, clinics, women's shelters, and rehab centers for drug addicts and mentally ill individuals. It has run relief operations in Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus region, eastern Europe and even the US, when it helped provide aid following the New Orleans hurricane of 2005.In November 2011, Edhi was nominated for a Nobel Peace prize by then Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.
Travel issues
In January 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Edhi at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents. In January 2009, Edhi was refused entry to GazaGaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
by Egyptian authorities.
International awards
- Ramon Magsaysay AwardRamon Magsaysay AwardThe Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel...
for Public Service (1986) - Lenin Peace PrizeLenin Peace PrizeThe International Lenin Peace Prize was the Soviet Union's equivalent to the Nobel Peace Prize, named in honor of Vladimir Lenin. It was awarded by a panel appointed by the Soviet government, to notable individuals whom the panel indicated had "strengthened peace among peoples"...
(1988) - Paul Harris Fellow from Rotatory International Foundation, (1993)
- Largest Voluntary Ambulance Organization of the World - Guinness Book of World Records (2000)
- Hamdan Award for volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services (2000) UAE
- International Balzan PrizeBalzan PrizeThe International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
(2000) for Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood, Italy - Honorary Doctorate degree from the Institute of Business Administration Karachi (2006).
- UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh PrizeUNESCO-Madanjeet Singh PrizeThe UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence is a prize awarded every two years by UNESCO. It was inaugurated in 1996, following the 1995 United Nations Year for Tolerance and in connection with the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, funded by a...
(2009) - Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace PrizeAhmadiyya Muslim CommunityThe Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
(2010)
National awards
- Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan, (1962–1987)
- The Social Worker of Sub-Continent by Government of Sind, Pakistan, (1989)
- Nishan-e-Imtiaz, civil decoration from Government of PakistanGovernment of PakistanThe Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
(1989) - Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during eighties by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of PakistanGovernment of PakistanThe Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
, (1989) - Pakistan Civic Award from the Pakistan Civic Society (1992)
- Shield of Honor by Pakistan ArmyPakistan ArmyThe Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
(E & C) - Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences
- Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society
External links
- Edhi Official Website
- Unofficial Edhi Foundation site
- Short-Documentary featuring Abdul Sattar Edhi expressing his thoughts and ideology - by Ali Kapadia
- Interview of Edhi
- Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation
- Humanitarian to a Nation, Saudi Aramco World, November/December 2004
- Article on Bilquis Edhi
- Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest
- Leadership Profile
- Abdul Sattar Edhi: A Tribute