Social activist in Mumbai felicitated for curing thousands of leprosy patients

Mumbai, May 19 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan felicitated social activist Brother Christudas with 'The Week - Man of the Year 2009' in Mumbai on Tuesday for curing thousands of leprosy patients.

Brother Christudas, who has treated over 50,000 leprosy patients in Bihar's Sundarpur village expressed his happiness to receive such an award.

'I feel delighted because it is honouring social workers, who are involved in this kind of work. It's not a personal award; it is for all those social workers, who are working for the people," said Christudas.

"Leprosy patients are such a group of people who are being denied of, rejected by everybody. I thought I should do something for them," he added.

Meanwhile, Ashok Chavan said the Maharashtra Government is starting Rajiv Gandhi Health Mission, under which people of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category would be given treatment free of cost.

"The State government has officially launched the mission and work would start soon, he said.

Besides Chavan, novelist Shobha De was also present to felicitate the activist at the function. (ANI)