Contribution to Society

Working for the welfare of the society and the underprivileged has been one of Dr. Satpathy’s prime focus areas. His support and able guidance have provided the impetus for setting up hundreds of charitable organizations. These organizations are dedicated to the welfare of the people from different walks of life.
 

To him, a temple is not only meant for worship, but it is also meant for giving help to the needy and the distressed people suffering from hunger and sickness. Under his guidance, many temples run dispensaries and feed poor regularly. Here is a brief overview of various philanthropic initiatives undertaken by Dr. Satpathy for the society as a whole:

 

Helping the Differently abled

Dr. C. B. Satpathy is the founder patron of Swabhiman, Bhubaneshwar. Founded in 2001, Swabhiman is a registered non-profit organization which advocates for serving differently-abled persons in Odisha, India, and South Asia.  Any effort to bridge differently-abled individuals with the mainstream society requires a lot of hard work and perseverance. Through ‘Swabhiman,' Dr. Satpathy aims to work towards establishing self-determination, equal opportunities and self-respect for the differently-abled persons.

 

Swabhiman advocates for the rights-based approach towards the issue of disability implying that the differently-abled persons need to participate in all spheres of society on an equal basis with their non-disabled peers.

Swabhiman has been at the forefront of several policy changes that have positively impacted the lives of differently –abled persons. It specifically focuses on supporting education, strengthening youth for availing employment opportunities, increasing public awareness on the issue of disability, working towards accessible cities and conducting research for enabling advocacy.

At the international level, Swabhiman works with DPI (Disabled People’s International), at national level with NDN (National Disability Network), and at local level with its network (Odisha State Disability Network) of district chapters to create a strong and impressive network of civil rights advocates promoting and protecting rights of differently-abled persons at all levels. 

 

‘Swabhiman’ continuously strives to build a healthier society, which is inclusive in nature and helps individuals with disabilities to achieve their potential. Till date, under the guidance and patronage of Dr. Satpathy, Swabhiman has uplifted the lives of more than 20,000 differently abled children and youth.

 

Helping the Under-Privileged

Handling natural disasters in a vast country like India is a challenging task for all. However, whenever such a situation has come up, Dr. Satpathy has extended his support through Shirdi Sai Global Foundation, of which he is the Founder Chairman. 

 

The Shirdi Sai Global Foundation undertook massive relief and rehabilitation work in the flood affected areas of the State of Uttarakhand in 2012, the cyclone-affected areas of the State of Odisha in 2013 and the flood-affected Jammu & Kashmir in 2014. The Foundation was quick to rise to the occasion and provide relief to the affected people within hours of the strike of the calamities. A substantial quantity of relief and rehabilitation material was distributed to the affected people. 

 

During the flash flood, cloud burst and massive landslide in June 2013, which struck Uttarakhand, the Foundation was able to reach out to a large number of families in tough terrains. They were provided with food, medicine, dresses, blankets, utensils and shelter (Tents), within a short time. The local authorities and other organizations working in the area lauded these efforts. 

 

Similarly, during the cyclone at Odisha, mobile medical facilities with doctors and medicines were provided to people. Food to hundreds of families was supplied during this relief operation. 

 

Shirdi Sai Global Foundation also undertook relief and rehabilitation work in the flood affected area of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in September 2014. The Foundation tied up with Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi and the Indian Army for the relief work. The relief material including big tents to accommodate 20-30 people at a time, clothes, food and medicines were airlifted for distribution in affected areas. The effort of providing community water purifiers to cater to the supply of drinking water en masse was specifically lauded by the local authorities.
 

Helping the Leprosy affected

The society does not always reach out to people afflicted by leprosy. They are relegated to the fringes of the society and treated as outcasts. A haven for these disadvantaged people has been set up at R.K. Puram, New Delhi and is known as the Jeevan Deep Leper Colony. Under the patronage, inspiration, and supervision of Dr. Satpathy, a temple of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba was constructed and inaugurated in the temple cum community hall of the colony on 15th June 1995. 

 

Dr. Satpathy ensures that food, clothing, medical aid, etc. are provided to the lepers as a regular practice in the temple premises. He has visited and rendered help to other such colonies inhabited by the lepers, in Modi Nagar and Ghaziabad. A number of organizations have also come forward to help in this noble cause, under the inspiration and guidance of Dr. Satpathy.

 

Other Charitable Organizations

The charitable institutions promoted by Dr. Satpathy have managed to leave a footprint across the globe including USA, Australia, New Zealand UK, Canada and India.  These charitable organizations are instrumental in running free dispensaries, conducting free medical camps, feeding the poor, distributing clothes to the needy and contributing to various other social causes in different parts of Globe.

Dr. Satpathy is also the founder patron of Sai Kripa Bangla Sansthan, Kolkata, a charitable Trust which has taken up a wide range of activities including Skill Development Training especially among widows and women belonging to the economically and socially weaker sections in the backward districts, such as South-24 Parganas, of West Bengal. The trust emphasizes on imparting quality training so that the trainees come up to the level where they can be organized as SHGs and then take up gainful employment activities. The young children from these weaker sections are provided Basic Computer training followed by an Industrial Electronics Course.
 

The trust also regularly distributes clothes, utensils, and food items among the poorest and the needy in the backward districts.  Among the beneficiaries are also included the much talked about “tiger widows”(widows of a fishermen who have been killed by tigers in the Sunderbans).
 

Dr. Satpathy has inspired the organizations under his patronage all across the globe to come forward and assist those who are needy. Financial assistance was provided to Starship Foundation, Auckland to help flood effected people of Fiji. Sai American Foundation, Dallas under his patronage provided financial assistance to Lily Foundation, a voluntary organization helping poor students in India to get a quality education and join the mainstream after that.

 

Dr. Satpathy also takes a keen interest in taking care of the animals as well. A veterinary clinic has been set-up in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh that provides free health care to animals in distress and those requiring medical assistance. Recently it saved the life of a stray dog by surgically removing a tumor of more than 10 kilograms.

 

Thus these charitable activities are all encompassing in nature and include a wide array of activities ranging from providing primary health care facilities, medicines, etc. to feeding,  to providing clothes to the needy and helping out in relief operations during natural disasters.