Visit to Sri Sai Old Age Home

Recently I was invited by my neighbours to attend a birthday party of their grandson. I was eager to attend it since it was an unusual type of birthday celebration. It was not celebrated at home in a conventional way, but the celebration was with the inmates of an old age home - Sri Sai Old Age Home Orphanage, Magadi Main Road, Sunkadakatte, Bangalore.  It was an overwhelming experience for everyone.   As we stepped in we saw two aged women walking in the veranda. Seeing our unfamiliar faces they paused and stared at us.   Their eyes looked tired and empty, and greeted us with a faint smile.

Sri Sai Old Age Home Orphanage is located in Magadi Main Road, Sunkadakatte, Bangalore. serving the elderly senior citizens and destitutes. It was started by late K.L. Ravi Kumar, who was in scrap business, 17 years ago and since his death 5 years ago, his sons Pradeep Kumar and Sashi Kumar continue this noble work. These young brothers spend their whole time in taking care of the aged and orphaned people, who have no one to care for them. When we entered there Pradeep was busy in cooking their lunch on firewood.

Pradeep told us that most of them are brought there by the police who found them on roads and some others are left by their children who have either no time or money to take care of their aged parents. 

 Sri Sai Old Age Home Orphanage is a regd charity home, but they do not get any government aid, and it is run purely with the private donations from the kind hearted people.

We were curious to know whether all inmates are looked after for free or whether any paid members are there. “Though we have few (5-6) paid members of Rs.4000/- month, after a few payments their children stopped paying and they even refuse to attend to our phone calls.  But we can’t neglect them, we have to continue taking care of them, including their medical needs, whether their children pay us or not,” says Pradeep with a compassionate smile.  Presently they have 49 inmates, including one young destitute woman with a kid. Earlier they had a separate section for the orphaned children too, but because of the change in the rule, they discontinued them.

 We interacted with some of the inmates. Everyone said they are happy over there and they get love and affection which otherwise are denied with their dear ones. Though they said they were happy I could see their sorrow of their rejection by their families in their eyes. For some, they had none of their own in the world, and they were happy at least they have a place to live.

They have a huge monthly expenditure to be met. There are about 4-5 staff employed to assist them in the work, and their expenditure also need to be met.  Besides, a monthly rent of Rs.34,000/- for the home where these inmates are housed and an office room in … for a monthly rent of Rs.12,000/-. Expenses for food (except rice which is supplied by a donor) , medical care of the patients,  and all other regular expenses are to be met.  Though they had tried several times to get government aid they have not yet got anything, and running it purely with the help of private donors. Sri Sai Orphanage for the old is a regd charity home and the donors get income tax benefits under 80G as per the govt rules.  

“Some days people like you, will donate a day’s lunch or dinner on occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversaries etc. which is a great help to us,” says Pradeep. “Some donate in things which is also greatly appreciated. We want to give better facilities for our inmates, but we can’t afford it.”

If they had their own building they could have saved these huge monthly rent, I thought while leaving the place.  

 I feel that we must visit this type of orphanages whenever possible and only then we appreciate our own blessings in life than crying for the material things that we don’t have. This type of visit fills our mind with more compassion and humanity. 

Please check their website for more details.