A Tribute to Late Mr. Ashok B. Verma - Founder Of HFI
Mr. Ashok Bahadur Verma - founder of the Hemophilia Federation (India), was the leading light of the hemophilia movement in India. Under his stewardship, HFI grew into an organization of 68 hemophilia societies all over India. It is because of him that today HFI holds the distinction of being not only the sole voice of people with hemophilia in India but also an organization managed by the sufferers of this disorder themselves.
By virtue of his affable and gregarious nature he won many friends for persons with hemophilia, both in India and abroad. He had a vision and commitment to the cause that was second to none. His passion and zeal to bring management and treatment of hemophilia within easy reach of PWH in India was appreciated across the hemophilia world. These brought rich dividends to HFI in terms of treatment, care systems and infrastructure to run self help organization as large as HFI. |
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| Ashok B. Verma (1942 – 2004) |
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The hemophilia movement in India shall remain forever indebted to this one man whose zest for life, strength of character, determination and the will to make things happen, despite personal hardship, changed the lives of thousands of persons with hemophilia for the better. Though he had received no formal business education he very ably steered HFI for almost the last two decades, not just as a volunteer but also as an employee, when he made a conscious decision to close his private business (a small photo studio) to concentrate solely on hemophilia movement in India.
His personal belief was that lack of formal education is not a deterrent to a man’s success. His life bears testimony to his belief.
"My path was lonely, long and bare, but friends joined in, we learnt to care
The sharing made our journey bright; our road’s less traveled but it is right
Now I say “adieu” and not goodbye, Farewells are for others, not you and I"
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” – Mahatma Gandhi
