Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Shabir Hussain Khan appears to be an average Kashmiri man in the first look. But the 60-year-old follows a strange ritual of donating blood four to five times in a year.

Known as “The Blood Man of Kashmir”, Khan has donated more than 169 pints of blood, the highest by anyone in the Valley.

A resident of Alie Kadal of Old City Srinagar, he first donated blood in 1980 when he was just 15-years-old. One of his friends had got injured during a football match. Since then, donating blood has become a part of his life with family members encouraging him.

Khan has been donating blood on a regular basis since last 37 years. He says he is determined to donate blood till he attains the age of 65. He says the stories of people who have been benefitted by his donations make his acts worthwhile, “I donate blood four to five times in a year. It has not affected my health but it gives me satisfaction that my blood has saved the lives of people. It’s something I can do, and it’s just become a habit,” he says.

The sexagenarian, who works at a paper mache crafts store in Srinagar, feels that it is the duty of every healthy person to donate blood and serve humanity. He considers it a religious duty to help people by donating blood. “The young generation of Kashmir is reluctant to donate their blood. They think money is everything but they should remember, like other religious duties, donating blood and saving people is also an ibadat (worship). A blood donor should be free from politics of any sort,“ says Khan.

Shabir claims that he has saved more than a hundred lives in the last thirty-seven years across the Kashmir valley. “I still remember the incident when a house collapsed in Lal Bazaar and about 200 ladies suffered injuries. That was very tragic, we had to give blood for two days in a row. Incidents like this and Uri earthquake changed my whole perception towards life. Then I understood how blood can save many lives,” he says.

He says when you see patients suffering from dreadful diseases in hospitals, you forget all worldly pleasures for some time. “I used to give water to mourners during Muharram processions and it used to give me a lot of satisfaction. My mother always taught me to serve people who are in need. She used to say that for high profile people, many will come forward but for poor and underprivileged, none will come forward. I am on a mission to help them,” says Khan.

Shabir spends at least two hours every day in city hospitals to find those patients who are in need of blood. “If you visit SMHS, SKIIMS, JVC, Bone and Joint hospitals, you will find the condition of some of the patients who have nobody to look after them. I go along with my team there and donate blood. There is an immense need for blood in hospitals for accident victims, delivery women and other people. So people must come forward and donate blood to save lives of people irrespective of religion, region or caste,” says Hussain.

Besides donating blood, Shabir has been running an awareness campaign and is a life member of the Red Cross society, convincing people to save lives.

“There is no concept of mobile blood donation camps in Kashmir. Those who are voluntarily donating blood are not getting any support from the government except Rs 10 refreshment from aids control organization.

“I don’t feel any weakness by donating blood but I have regret that the government has ignored me.” Khan had applied for the state award but his name was dropped by the government despite being at the forefront in social services. “These awards are reserved for people having political affiliations,” he laments.

Khan has also donated blood outside Kashmir in Odisha, New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and in various parts of India. In 2004, he spent over two months in tsunami-affected areas for blood donation and helped in collecting the blood. The blood donor claims that he was invited by Mother Teresa to Calcutta in 1998 and she appreciated his work.

Khan has become an inspiration for many who fondly call him ‘blood man of Kashmir’. Shabir now wants to do something for the underprivileged children of the state. “I want to work with deaf, dumb and other underprivileged section of people,” he says.

Khan says he doesn’t need money but recognition like other artists. “When musicians can get recognition why not a person who gives his life to others. Some call me drunk and say you donate for money. I say I donate for Allah and will keep doing it till my last breath,” he says.