"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
This book is based on the lifetime experiences of the authors and presents the successful comprehensive strategies implemented for reducing poverty in a defined geographic community of over 120,000 people. These strategies include vocational training of youth, self Help Groups, livestock development, vocational training of youth and reducing the impact of catastrophic illnesses. Bank finance was available as credit for the poor as well as the savings by the women as part of Self Help Groups. There was close handholding by RUHSA. The poorest of the poor participated in planning and decision making and gave valuable insights for their own development.
Daleep S Mukarji, Rajaratnam Abel
Daleep Mukarji graduated from the Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. After a short stint in a mission hospital in Andhra Pradesh, he went on to complete his masters at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He joined the London School of Economics, completing Master in Social Planning. He founded the Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs (RUHSA) of CMC Vellore as its Programme Director in 1977. He moved over to CMAI, New Delhi. He then moved to CMC of WCC in Geneva, then taking over as the Director of Christian Aid, London. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire.
Rajaratnam Abel, also a graduate of CMC Vellore and a classmate and friend of Daleep, had a long stint with a number of mission hospitals in different states of India. He joined RUHSA as the Chief Medical Officer in late 1978 and then completed his MPH at Hopkins USA. He took over as the Head of RUHSA Department from Daleep in 1985 and continued till 2005. Hopkins recognized him with life membership of the Delta Omega Honor Society in 1995. He completed his PhD in 2006.
