Thursday, May 10, 2007

A well deserved award

Dharavi in Mumbai is one of the largest slum areas in the world. It is also the home of some of the best leather products produced in India.

Right in the middle of this slum is a humble doctor who has been serving the people of the area, never thinking of financial reward. He has a long and hazardous journey to come and go to his small clinic bang centre of the slum. The clinic has been his life's work.


Malathi organised a wonderful Indian Evening
in the village where she lived in Finland.



Malathi in Oulu.


News has just reached me that Dr. Ashok Khembavi, a dear friend, husband of another dear friend and a Finnophile, Malathi, has been awarded the prestigous "Rashtriya Gaurav" award by the India International Friendship Society for the devotion to his work and his patients in this slum area.

Malathi first came to Finland to work with handicapped people and she committed her life to helping others, just like her husband. She loved Finland and Finns and us Findians, in return, loved her.

Malathi and Ashok have two wonderful boys, Darshan and Dishnath, now grown up, and they make a lovely family, as seen in the photo below.



They say that behind every successful man is a woman - in this case it is two wonderful people complementing each other in whatever they do. They give each other plenty of space so that they can develop each other and their children alongside them.

Malathi's sister, Lalitha, a brilliant management personality, is also married to an outstanding engineer and inventor, Anil Ananthakrishna from Bangalore, famous for his electric cycles, electric scooters and his electric cars, way ahead of the rest of the world in thinking and invention.

Congratulations Ashok and Malathi. Annikki and I are proud to know you and be part of your wonderful family.

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