Gurugram: A veteran’s mission to serve the vulnerable

Bodh Raj Sikri, 71, champions social service in Gurugram, providing healthcare, free ambulances, and educational support for marginalized communities.

After working in government service for decades, Bodh Raj Sikri, 71, arrived in Gurugram with a purpose – to help the marginalised and neglected in Millennium City’s rapid commercialisation and urbanisation.

Bodh Raj Sikri, 71

His social service began with opening three clinics in the city, providing basic healthcare, free consultations, and medicines, serving 80-90 patients each day.

Instead of complaining about the lack of government hospitals and emergency services, Sikri launched a free ambulance and shav vahan service for those in need.

Sikri, a resident of Sushant Lok phase-1, said he ensures his ambulances arrive on time, even in remote, secluded areas where health services are scarce.

Keeping his staff ready for any late-night emergencies, Sikri said his phone rarely stops ringing, especially at night, when most people look the other way when helping the poor.

“I always tell my team to give preference to those who have nowhere else to go,” he asserted.

Sikri’s efforts extend beyond healthcare; he recently adopted a government school in Ambedkar Nagar near Sector 9, with around 180 students.

Sikri said he aims to transform it into a model educational institution where children can achieve great things despite economic circumstances.

As Sikri sees it, in a city like Gurugram — where opportunities often favour the few — a child’s ambition must be nurtured early.

“Good education and health are critical for inclusive growth,” he said, adding that the healthcare infrastructure is still evolving to become people-centric.

Sikri moved to Gurugram around 22 years ago after working across sectors, including the pharmaceuticals sector. With his humble beginnings as a government record-keeper in 1970, he said the challenging economic circumstances taught him to always first extend a helping hand to the poor. The economic hardships his family faced taught him a lesson – not all responsibilities can be laid on the government’s shoulders.