Just being human

It was a feeling of mixed emotions for Manoj Rai as he walked up to receive an award for social bravery. He was happy that his efforts were being lauded but at the same time there was a different kind of emotion playing at the back of his mind. “I couldn’t help but think that people were praising me for doing what any normal human being should have done. We tend to forget our normal duty as human beings so often that these acts appear to be that of outstanding bravery. Anyone who has a heart would reach out to help a fellow human being,in whichever way he/she could,in terms of need and if we are not doing it,can we call ourselves humans?” said the otherwise shy Rai.

On September 18,2011,an earthquake hit Kalimpong where Rai hails from and claimed several lives and rendered thousands homeless. The tremor also caused landslides,severing communication with the neighbouring areas. Some residents of affected villages like Sankhey and Mandir contacted Rai,who is a videographer by profession and also works for the local cable network. Unlike others,who were scurrying for shelter and trying to protect their families,Rai chose to get help from the state relief officials and some NGOs. Braving all odds,he got access to the affected area and alongside working with rescue workers,shot some moving images of the plight of those under mother nature’s fury. “I live in a similar village and so it is easier for me to connect with the kind of problems the affected people faced. I had to travel about 80 km by car and then walk for about seven hours to reach the place. Once there,I immediately knew what I needed to do. I wanted everyone to know what these people were going through,” he said.

He returned that night,edited the footage and sent those to the NGOs and other relief officials. The clips were also televised the next day and it was one of the reasons why a large number of people from the adjoining areas too joined hands and helped in the cause. “At first a couple of my friends had called me to say that they wanted to do something for the affected,but after watching the pictures on TV the next day,we saw an overwhelming response of people who wanted to donate food,clothes and money. Along with a dozen friends,we carried two truckloads of goods to the place which was accessible by a vehicle,stored them at a primary school there and carried supplies to the people,” he recalled.

The Kalimpong Press Club too hailed his efforts and felicitated him with the Excellence in Journalism Award for his contribution in the relief work in three of the most affected villages.

Living with his family comprising his parents,wife,three brothers and one sister,Manoj can just about make his ends meet but his drive to help those in need had been in him right from the beginning and thus,even as his family members knew that it was a risky affair visiting an earthquake-affected place,they never forced him not to.