HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): The once extremely active organization Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation, has had some internal dissensions preventing the Foundation from being functional  for a couple of years. To top it came the harrowing period of Covid-19  during which all activity of almost all organizations had to take a back seat.

The Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation is now back in action and are holding a gala and fundraiser on November 6 at Marriott in Uniondale, Long Island. As usual , the Foundation is honoring this time six eminent personalities. They include Dr. V. K Raju – Ophthalmologist, Dr. Asad Sadiq – Dentist, Dr Nilesh Mehta – Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist,  Mr. Sunny Singh – Entrepreneur Philanthropist, Mr. Andy Mansukhani, and  Late Mr. Peter Bheddah.

Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation, a dream of late Nargis Dutt and her husband Sunil Dutt, has served cancer patients in India for 40 years now. It was founded in 1981 in the city of the world-New York.  It has been a long but satisfying journey for the organization that has believed with Albert Schweitzer, a German theologian, philosopher, and physician that “There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.”

During the  period between 1982 and 2022, the NDMF has completed around 60 projects valued at more than 6 million dollars, sponsored Indian doctors for specialized training in treatment of cancer in prestigious Medical Institutes in the US and recognized excellence of scores of achievers and contributors. The introduction to the Foundation, as carried out, in a Foundation brochure reads: “Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation was established in 1981 in memory of Nargis Dutt, a famous Bollywood movie star of India. She gave numerous memorable performances in movies including Mother India, which was nominated for an Oscar in 1957. She was a very caring human being whose dream was to see that the best available medical care can also be provided to under privileged and needy people in India. “While undergoing specialized medical treatment in New York for cancer, Mrs. Dutt articulated her dream and repeatedly expressed her regret that the medical care that she was able to receive was unavailable in her Motherland. Her deep concern for the sick and disabled led her to set definite goals towards making improved medical services available to the poorest in India. She already had considerable work to her credit in rehabilitation, and education of handicapped children in India.  Unfortunately, she did not live long enough to see the evolution of her dream. After her demise, her husband Sunil Dutt established the Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation and through various projects worked to keep Nargis Dutt’s dream alive.”

And, after Sunil Dutt’s demise on 25 May 2005, his illustrious daughter Priya Dutt took upon herself the responsibility of guiding the destiny of an organization that has become synonymous with the late Dutts and cancer.

It will be of interest to our readers to know as to how the idea of forming NDMF came up. In 1981 Nargis Dutt who was suffering from pancreatic cancer was treated at Sloane Kettering Institute in New York. In spite of best efforts of doctors and the loving care of her husband, Sunil Dutt, cancer ultimately snuffed life out of the legendary cine artist.

According to the information given by one of the nine founding members, Mr. Inder Bindra, Sunil Dutt had come to New York in April/May 1981 to settle the bill for Nargis Dutt’s treatment at Memorial Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center. They were together in the Bahamas when the idea of forming Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation came to their mind. It was later that he, along with 8 other persons with philanthropic disposition (some of whom have since withdrawn or have migrated to the other world) held a meeting with Sunil Dutt and discussed the issue of forming the organization. Sunil Dutt felt mightily pleased and said he was obliged for the offer to form Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation. Thus, the embryonic idea took a shape in 1981. And soon, the first formal meeting took place in the month of May 1981 itself. The NDMF was registered as 501-C 3 Not-for Profit corporation on 25th February 1982. Ranjit Ghura and Russel Rosen in Wall Street who was the attorney helped in the formation of the corporation.

There were  nine incorporating members-Nicole Beattie,  Inderjit S. Bindra,  Edward Beattie, M. D., Shashi Patel, M. D.,  Suresh Patel,  Jas Ghura,  Amar Jit Singh, M. D., Bhupendra R. Patel, M. D., and  Manu Savani.