Shrikumar Poddar, The 8th Wonder of the World
This photo doesn’t do justice to Shrikumar, but that’s hardly surprising. Nothing does. It isn’t possible to describe him, to imitate him, to keep up with him or to thank him. He is simply a force of nature, unstoppable and unswerving.
Both Ravi and I owe him more than words can say.
Shrikumar and Ravi have been friends since 1973. They became very close during the time of India’s State of Emergency in 1976 when both of them were active with Indians for Democracy, a group of US-based Indians who did all they could to raise international awareness about human rights abuses in India at that time.
After the Emergency ended, Shrikumar turned his attention and energy towards humanitarian causes of all kinds - particularly large-scale disasters. He has raised millions of dollars for the victims of earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis and communal riots.
He is a long-time supporter of Karuna Vihar and for years he has made bulk purchases of our calendar and used it to raise even more money among his friends and donors.
He lives half the year in Mumbai and half in Michigan where he has a home and many devoted admirers. When I was there last month, he organized a gathering for me which around 40 people attended. It was a wonderful evening, and I really enjoyed the eclectic crowd he had invited. But the best part was getting to see Shrikumar in his mini-empire in Michigan. I have seen the address on his letterhead for nearly 30 years and it was a treat to finally walk through that door in Okemos.
He is a wonderful man and we are lucky to count him as a friend.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 2:04 pm and is filed under America 08, Serious Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Both Ravi and I owe him more than words can say.
Shrikumar and Ravi have been friends since 1973. They became very close during the time of India’s State of Emergency in 1976 when both of them were active with Indians for Democracy, a group of US-based Indians who did all they could to raise international awareness about human rights abuses in India at that time.
After the Emergency ended, Shrikumar turned his attention and energy towards humanitarian causes of all kinds - particularly large-scale disasters. He has raised millions of dollars for the victims of earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis and communal riots.
He is a long-time supporter of Karuna Vihar and for years he has made bulk purchases of our calendar and used it to raise even more money among his friends and donors.
He lives half the year in Mumbai and half in Michigan where he has a home and many devoted admirers. When I was there last month, he organized a gathering for me which around 40 people attended. It was a wonderful evening, and I really enjoyed the eclectic crowd he had invited. But the best part was getting to see Shrikumar in his mini-empire in Michigan. I have seen the address on his letterhead for nearly 30 years and it was a treat to finally walk through that door in Okemos.
He is a wonderful man and we are lucky to count him as a friend.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 2:04 pm and is filed under America 08, Serious Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
« Edmund Cluett, Guruji
Katie Renner: One of Our Illustrious Volunteers »
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Comments
I am very much impressed by a book named " India of my dreams" by Shrikumar Poddar. I am from Mumbai and I want to get more books for my Project Peace for the school children.
If you have his local tel mumber, please email me so that I can peresonaly meet him in Mumbai.
My details are as under:
Viren Shah - President
Foundation for Humanist Society, Mumbai.
Cell: 0 99201 99251
email: arihantviren@yahoo.com
web: www.humanistsocietyindia.org