It was a sultry afternoon when the phone in the A/C room in NAB Mumbai guest house suddenly came to life. It was Mr. Gomes on the other side, “Doctor, would you mind if some one shares your room for the afternoon?”
“Not at al”, was my answer and soon after in walked a robust middle-aged man, whom I soon came to know to be visually challenged. Wonder was that no one could in his wildest dream know that he had any disability. Before I could even think of breaking ice with him he had unarmed me with his infectious camaraderie. The relation that took off so very causally matured in a cherished relation with Prof. Bhaskar Mehta!
I could never believe my stars when the affable professor took over as the Chairman of the Governing Council of NAB PNM, Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind, Mount Abu! What a captain he turned out to be. He never acted as the chairman but was always one among the equals, always ready with his sagacious counsel that the centre which was crawling in its progress took wings. Under his leadership all the members became buoyant and in rapid succession, one after the other new projects began to take birth.
The centre became the fastest progressing centre in India and in many ways won the credit of having many projects for the first time in India and the Dhaba Training Centre for the Blind for the first time in the world. He not only brought cheerful metamorphosis to the sleepy, dying centre with his sagacious and cheerful leadership but help to bring back to life the defunct NAB Rajasthan truly starting once again from grass root with solid foundation.
He has proved to be an asset not only for the centre but also for the welfare of the visually challenged in totality. His persuasive brilliance can easily pump life into a cadaver what to talk about those alive! His benevolent wisdom is exemplary; his justice has no malevolence but just pure, sterling fairness!