Meet this Gujarat doctor who celebrated his birthday by adopting 51 street children

On his 58th birthday, Ahmedabad-based doctor Shailesh Thaker adopted 51 street children.

Ahmedabad, March 1: Ahmedabad-based doctor Shailesh Thaker, who turned 58 on Tuesday, decided to make the best use of his birthday. Instead of celebrating his "big day" only with his friends and family members, the cognitive psychologist decided to invite 51 street kids to the party. Not only Thaker treated the underprivileged kids with cakes, chocolates and savouries to celebrate his birthday, he decided to adopt them.

Now, Thaker has taken upon himself to sponsor the education of his newly-adopted children "right from schooling till the time they get employed". Ask him what inspired him to adopt the children, Thaker said that he always wanted to do something to help underprivileged children as most of them have no access to education. However, it is one particular episode that finally pushed him to take the plunge.

"Right opposite my residence in Law Garden, a family lives on the streets and comprises of four children apart from adults. I always wondered how they will come up and progress and that's what inspired me to establish an organisation known as 'Chanydo' which will help me address the cause," the doctor was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Since it is a daunting task to take care of the education of 51 children single-handedly, Thaker decided to join hands with other organisations already working with underprivileged kids. His NGO, Chanydo, will be partnering with organisations like Bal Bhavan, Visamo Kids, Samvedna and Footpath School to take care of the children's education. Three experts in health and education are also going to assist Thaker in fulfilling his big dream.

Regarding funding, four businessmen, who are also the trustees of Chanydo, will help Thaker by financially assisting him in providing education to the children. The NGO also has 15 board of directors.

Thaker did not randomly pick up children to be a part of his project to educate the underprivileged section of society. He conducted a test to select 51 candidates.

"We selected some 51 students through a test which was approved by a city-based psychiatrist, Dr Himanshu Desai. We then signed a bond with their parents that students will come under the banner of Chanydo and their education from their schooling till employment will be taken care of by us," Thaker told The Times of India.

Since most of the kids have no proper lodging facilities, Thaker is also in talks with city-based hostels to provide them shelter. For his next year's birthday, the do-gooder doctor has one more plan. "We will rope in 51 more students next year too to provide them education," he smiled.

As far as 51 children--who are a part of the first batch of Chanydo--are concerned, they are all happy that they too will be going to school.

"We are thankful to Thaker Sir. Now, my son will go to school and get an education. I hope he completes his education and gets a decent job unlike me," said a father of a child adopted by the doctor.

OneIndia News