OBITUARY OF THE HEAD TO THE HEART
Dr S K Phansalkar,
Trustee – MLDT, Director – MLDMHI
Dr Prakash Chareja 25.1.1971 – 8.8.2018
In the early hours of Wednesday the 8th of August it took me a while to understand what Shanti, Prakash’s wife, was telling me on the phone. I lived the meaning of shock and grief when told that his heart had stopped suddenly. Actually it was our heart which stopped and our brain which went into a state of disbelief!
Prakash met me 25 years back with an intense desire to learn and within a short time he became intensely committed to responsibility towards the ICR. Gradually he started taking up responsibilities without anybody asking him to do so. A rare quality in today’s world, and available only with a pure heart and pure souls. His transparency of purpose and commitment towards the ICR was beyond description. One has to experience it to believe it in today’s impure world. His passion for education and missionary zeal towards helping everybody made him ‘Prakash’ (Light in the darkness of kalyuga).
He joined as a learner and in a short time occupied a central position in the ICR organisation. He became the Heart of the Pune branch, performing many activities till the last beat of his heart! Communication, Transmission, Circulation, Nourishment, Pumping – all the functions of the heart – he carried out. From the centre to the periphery, from the organization to the student, from the patients to their families, he bonded and kept on vibrating with them.
As the heart doesn’t know where to stop, he also many times rushed along with various movements in the institute. Whether it was fund raising, or learner evaluation, or visiting well-wishers, or going out with learners, he never stopped, never had any inhibitions. He paid a lot of attention / care to the entire world. Had he but have given some attention to himself, now I feel, perhaps we wouldn’t have lost this Humane Soul – a rare species in today’s materialistic world.
His family is bold and brave like him – they assured us that the dream and spirit of Prakash, of the ICR should continue without any interruption.
Salute to this HEART AND FAMILY for being with us in this journey so far.
May this great soul rest in peace! Oh, God, we want him with us again!
