The story of Smt. Subasini Mistry, Founder of Humanity Hospital

On 13 April 1971 Shri Sadhan Chandra Mistry, aged 35 years a vegetable vendor (a total non-entity) in the obscure village of Hanspukur, West Bengal, died of a very common and minor ailment, as due to extreme poverty could not get proper medical help. He left behind his illiterate young wife, Subasini with two sons and two daughters, four to eight years in age.

The family plunged into utter poverty and Subasini was forced out of her home within one month of her husband’s death to sell vegetables in hamlet market. That day, while she sat under the scorching sun selling vegetables and worrying about her children, she took a vow that one day she will build a hospital in that very village so that no poor villager would die for want of medical attention.

Her fellow vendors and every person who heard of her vow just laughed at and made fun of her. How can she build a hospital, they jeered, when she cannot even mend her own thatched hut? Plus she has to feed a family of five and to get to marry two daughters, all humbug and pure day dreaming. Must have lost her mind; was the considered conclusion by the village elders.

For 20 years, day in and out, Subasini went on selling vegetables silently and looking after her children never allowing the fire in her frail body to douse even for a moment. She worked as a domestic help, as a brick layer, as a vegetable vendor – with her elder children helping her out in various chores – while her younger son Ajoy was on his way to becoming a doctor – with the support of community workers and neighbours. “I did everything. My children used to earn Re.1 while I used to get Rs.1.25 per day. I never spent on myself. Whatever I earned, I saved most of it for the hospital”, she says.

With her savings of over 20 years – close to Rs 1 Lakh – she bought a plot of land (approx 1600 sq. yd.) at her village Hanspukur where most of the people are poor. One of the Babus (landlord) was selling off his land. “I went to him and fell at his feet to let me buy the plot for a lesser amount. He relented, and finally a part of my dream came true”, says Mistry. She went around asking people to contribute in any way they could. Some donated money, some supplied wood and some gave the material needed for construction while some volunteered for construction work. Her younger son, Ajoy, worked hard as he studied, ran around from friends to well wishers to any person/organization he had access and managed to raise Rs.50,000 for his mother’s mission. Bit by bit, a one-room (hut) clinic came into being and at Mistry’s behest, 3 doctors from nearby areas started treating the sick free of cost.

And week after week, while tens of poor patients got medical attention from this lone clinic in the region, Subasini became the most popular household name in her village. Now her fellow vendors and all others started respecting her. That was enough of a support for her.

In the meantime, her children grew up. The two daughters were married off. The eldest son chose to be a labourer, working in agricultural fields. Her other son, the youngest of the lot, Ajoy Mistry was identified by Subasini to carry on her mission. He successfully completed his secondary education and passed the All India Medical Entrance Test. Aided by the German Scholarship, he joined Calcutta Medical College where he completed his medical course.

In 1993, Ajoy Mistry authored the Trust Deed of Humanity Trust with his mother, Subasini Mistry as the Founder Trustee. On 5th February 1995, the foundation stone for the Hospital was laid and on 9th March 1996, the hospital was inaugurated and opened to public.
The will and spirit of a woman, who defied social norms and obstacles all along to establish the first hospital in that region ‘The Humanity Hospital’ underscores a saga of dedication, commitment, vision, ambition and unflinching determination of a resource-less illiterate village woman in acute penury and distress.

Now, the 3 storeyed 15,000 sq.ft each floor, 45-bed hospital is offering free medical treatment to thousands of patients per year.