MSS launches short stay home for the elderly

NAGPUR: Honouring the wishes of late Dr Kusumtai Wankar, president of Matru Sewa Sangh (MSS) from 2005 to 2012, the MSS has created a ‘short stay home for the elderly’ called Kusum Vihar. Wankar had before her death donated a major part of her assets to MSS and had expressed her desire for formation of a Kusum Wankar Trust while she was keeping unwell during 2011-12.She died on May 27, 2012, at the age of 90.
Kusum Vihar would be formally inaugurated by the Union Road and Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday at 12noon in MSS premises in Sitabuldi behind the OPD of maternity hospital. Kusumtai had mentioned the formation of Kusum Wankar Trust and the short stay home in her will. “We have just honoured her wishes,” said MSS secretary Lata Deshmukh.
Inspired by the late Kamlatai Hospet (1896–1981) and Venutai Nene (1896–1973) who had dared to start the MSS Maternity Home and many other healthcare facilities for the poor way back in 1921, Dr Wankar joined the MSS maternity home in 1951, just five years after completing her MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai.
Dr Wankar had a rare enthusiasm and dedication to work for improving the health care system that distinguished her from other doctors. She didn’t leave the organization after her marriage with orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vasant Wankar. She continued her journey of serving the poor with an exemplary zeal and outstanding commitment as a resident medical superintendent of MSS until she retired in 1980 and developed all the available modern facilities attached to MSS.
She was MSS Secretary in 1995-96 and was first elected as president of MSS in 1996. Her second tenure lasted from 2005-2012. The entire staff of MSS sees Dr Wankar as an epitome of selfless service and saw in her a honoured trustee, a caring mother figure, an ardent benefactor, a practising Gandhian, and above all a rare role model.
Even during her lifetime, she continuously supported the MSS with generous donations. She had donated Rs 63 lakh for construction of ‘Dr Vasantrao Wankar Bhavan’ at Laxmi Nagar for a sheltered workshop of the Nandanvan School for Mentally Challenged, in memory of her late husband. She donated another Rs 35 lakh for the construction of a ‘Cancer Detection Centre’ in memory of her late mother Indirabai Khare and late mother-in-law Laxmibai Wankar.
The purpose of Kusum Vihar is to provide healthcare and support to the elderly when their family is not in town during short durations as going abroad or travelling within the country for some function or holiday. “It is not an old age home. It is a home to make the elderly feel at home when their children are not with them during these times. We have limited this stay period to one month,” said Deshmukh.