It was during his formative years as a student of medicine and then as a consulting rheumatologist that he came in contact with people from different strata of society and their pain and misery led him to focus on providing relief to poor and needy. His first initiative in this direction was ‘Dilasa Medical Trust & Rehabilitation Centre’, a charitable trust which he formed in the year 1993.
True to the principles that he stood for, he opened his clinic in a locality that was primarily domiciled by mill workers and their families. Such was the amount of faith people had in him as a doctor that his clinic would be open well past midnight on most working days.
From 1996 onwards, Dr. Aniruddha Joshi gradually tapered down his consulting commitments and channeled his time and resources to charting a blueprint that will, one day, change the face of our great country. It was his clear vision that in order for our country, Bharat, to regain its former glory, it was important for the country to not only be economically sound but more importantly for the people to be healthy, both in body and in mind; for, our actions are governed by our thoughts, i.e. the mind and the state of our mind, in turn, is to a great extent shaped by how healthy our body is. It is well and truly said that a healthy body houses a healthy mind. However, he always emphasized that in order for this to materialise it was very important to have a strong spiritual base. He always gives the examples of Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Guru Gobind Singh, Rani of Jhansi and Subhas Chandra Bose who fought for the freedom and betterment of our country and who derived their true strength from their unwavering faith in God.
He, conceptualized and brought into action several initiatives in this direction which were executed with the participation of his growing legion of followers. These ranged from holding medical and healthcare camps, blood donation camps, providing mid-day meals to school going children, the charkha for food scheme and the all important 13 Point programme, many of which actually dovetail into the making of a healthy body and healthy mind.
Dr. Joshi’s unique initiative of deciding to conduct a medical camp on a 10 acre plot of land in the backward region of Kolhapur district, encompassing several villages within its coverage and to carry out the camp at the same place, year after year for the last more than 10 years may, on the one hand, be seen as a veritable drop in the ocean, but it has taught very important lessons to anyone who wishes to conduct a medical camp in a meaningful manner. The information that has emerged over the last ten years is a virtual treasure trove. It is a classic model, which if replicated either by Government or private agencies, with the same amount of sincerity and dedication could well change the face of the country.
After observing with great concern, youngsters, with many promising decades ahead of them, succumbing to health related issues, particularly, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, etc., on the 13th of December, 2014, Dr. Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi stood for nearly five hours at the sprawling Andheri Sports Complex and spoke on the subject of self-health; of ways and means of maintaining good health, without having to spend more. He explained certain basic functions of the human anatomy from the health perspective as to underline his message.
This website is the direct outcome of that eye and mind opening talk of Dr. Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi.
