Nagpur Slum Dweller-Turned-Billionaire Spends Rs 85 Lakh On Transporting Oxygen To Govt Hospitals
Writer: Palak Agrawal
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
Maharashtra, 26 April 2021 2:32 PM GMT
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Pyare Khan, hailing from Maharashtra's Nagpur, spent ₹85 lakh in less than a week to ensure around 400 metric tonnes of oxygen reach its destination for free. He shared that he voluntarily undertook the initiative and has considered the expenditure as 'zakat' or religious obligation to help those in need.
For the past few weeks, Pyare Khan, who hails from Maharashtra's Nagpur, has been sparing no effort to ensure that tonnes of medical liquid oxygen reach government hospitals on time, enabling the doctors to save hundreds of lives.
Khan has spent ₹85 lakh in less than a week to ensure around 400 metric tonnes of oxygen reach its destination for free. He shared that he voluntarily undertook the initiative and has considered the expenditure as 'zakat' or religious obligation to help those in need.
'"I can serve the society with my oxygen donations, which would reach across all communities in this crisis time," Khan told The Times of India. He took the decision to forego the expenses incurred in the process and not charge the government, calling the act as his service to humanity.
The amount also includes a payment of ₹50 lakh for 116 oxygen concentrators which he plans to donate to AIIMS, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH).
"We have also distributed more than 500 cylinders at different hospitals, and another 360 cylinders have been given by the Union Minister Gadkari for charity," said Khan.
"Getting tankers is the biggest challenge as of now. I am arranging for tankers from different places and sending them to places like Raipur, Rourkela, and Bhilai to get them filled with liquid oxygen for the district and surrounding areas," he added.
Khan boasts of humble beginnings—having started his journey from the slums in the Tajbagh area of the district. He started earning livelihood by selling oranges at the Nagur railway station in 1995 and struggled his way up to build a ₹400-crore transport company—Ashmi Road Transport which runs a fleet of 300 trucks. His success story is also a case study at the Indian Institute of Management- Ahmedabad.