Mahesh, a young boy’s journey started back in 2008 when he encountered a four-year-old HIV positive lonely child in a government hospital in Belagavi. The child had lost his mother that morning and his family had abandoned him, and he had nowhere to go. Mahesh got the kid home out of compassion. Little did he know then that this was the first step in his long, ongoing journey.
Mahesh soon found that there are many such kids on the premise of the hospital, and he got one by one to his home as they had no place to live. Soon the number rose to six, and then to twenty-six. Today, Mahesh runs a shelter and a school for HIV positive children and supplies medicine to HIV infected people in and around Belagavi. He creates awareness drives about HIV, gives several talks at public forums. Mahesh has also received the prestigious President’s Award from the Government of India.
“The stigma associated with HIV probably kills more people than the disease itself”
- Mahesh
For Mahesh, the journey has not been easy though. He not only is fighting the disease but also the people’s stigma and social order, he is fighting for the rights of those affected children, he’s fighting a notion that our society holds. Perhaps, the prior on the list is the easiest of all! And, his commitment to the cause is unstoppable.
Back in 2008, when Mahesh encountered that little boy at the government hospital, a new creation happened. With India alone having over 1.4 lakh (140,000) kids infected with HIV, Mahesh’s efforts can be seen as a drop in the ocean. Yet, he has made a difference to thousands of souls infected with this virus.
With India alone having over 1.4 lakh (140,000) kids infected with HIV, Mahesh’s efforts can be seen as a drop in the ocean. Yet, he has made a difference to thousands of souls infected with this virus.
Every step of Mahesh’s creation from getting the four-year-old to his home, starting a home shelter to creating a school, fighting for the children’s fundamental rights, nurturing them, and now even building a school and a hostel for them can be termed as a success. The awards and the accolades that he has received are merely an acknowledgement to his efforts and his success for he did not strive for them. Unfortunately, we’re conditioned to measure success by the latter.
When Mahesh started this journey, he didn’t start for the name, fame or any recognition. He did it only out of his big heart, he did it for a cause. All those awards are only incidental. Mahesh, today, is still far from his cause and that is the reason that he is unwavering and continually creates working towards his vision, his cause. Success is not about providing fodder to someone’s flattery or ego, it is rather in each little step drawing towards our purpose, our intent.
Success is not about providing fodder to someone’s flattery or ego, it is rather in each little step drawing towards our purpose, our intent.
To know more about Mahesh and Mahesh Foundation, visit https://maheshfoundation.org
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Further Reference: INKtalks
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