A Journey to Dominique Dada's Sunderbans

Lapierre talks passionately about the need for education. Only education can change the future of this isolated area he feels.

Almost 20 years ago, Lapierre was approached by an NGO, the Southern Health Improvement Samity, which was looking for help for underprivileged rural areas in this forgotten region of the country. The proposal struck a chord. Lapierre committed himself.

Sundarbans, a world heritage site, is known for its dense mangrove forests and for being one of the last habitats of the elusive royal Bengal tiger. But the enchanting mystique of these remote jungles cloaked a sad reality. Lapierre discovered that its inhabitants were badly plagued by tuberculosis. Being somewhat inaccessible, it was partially neglected by the state administration.

Lapierre was determined to provide a measure of relief for those suffering from this disease. He set up a TB centre here. According to the law, a TB hospital is entitled to receive medicines from the government but initially he barely received 15 percent of the quota. Lapierre went to the press, made a noise and eventually emerged victorious. The centre now receives medicines from the government.

His centre's administrative abilities have inspired government officials to visit to take a close look at its functioning. "We can all do something to make things better," he adds.

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