Indian-American Bollywood stars promoter ships medical aid to India

"Every life saved gave me fresh energy to help more,'' says Indian-American Bollywood stars promoter Rajender Singh Pahl who has been involved in helping people back in India since the deadly second wave of the coronavirus pandemic struck the country.

Pahl, the CEO of Star Promotions Inc, has been consistently providing help to save lives in India since the onset of the coronavirus, shipping over 200 oxygen concentrators, 50 oxygen cylinders and several oximeters to India.

He has been promoting the Indian culture and heritage through over 95 major Bollywood events across the US with the help of Bollywood actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Shah Rukh Khan, Asha Bhosle, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif for over two decades.

As an immigrant, "you're always living half in nostalgia," Pahl, who immigrated to the US from Rajasthan, said.

"In a state of having lost your home, you carry sadness with you… Everything that has shaped you as a child is there, you feel just lost; your family is lost and want to do whatever is left of it," he said.

Pahl, who gets a flurry of messages from relatives, friends in India seeking his help and networking advice through WhatsApp, midnight calls, tweets, says it is a very tough situation as any family he talks to has been affected.

His cousin in Rajasthan tested positive for COVID-19, a childhood friend died within days from his daughter's wedding in Mumbai, his high-school friend's whole family in Bikaner got infected and pleaded for medical supplies, food and oxygen concentrators as no one would help them around.

"All the excitement was suddenly gone. Seeing Americans walking around without masks and dining indoors at restaurants, I felt like I was betraying my country by being here," he said.

Pahl has been depressed and sleepless, compulsively following headlines about what is happening in India, tweeting requests for help, video conferencing with his friends, family, every chance he gets.

"I feel paralysed by powerlessness," he said.

The Indian-American communities across the country, including a sizable population in the Houston metropolitan area, are mourning the deaths of family members, checking on relatives with growing alarm and launching efforts to help their native country battle the world's worst COVID-19 surge.

Living between two worlds, trying to help through his long-time networking sources in politics, bureaucracy and Bollywood, Pahl has been arranging beds, oxygen, ambulances, medicine, food, medical advice through experts for as many people as he could.

He worked with a panel of COVID-19 experts in Houston to provide free consultations to patients and overwhelmed doctors in India.

Some are sharing with their Indian counterparts' lessons learned on the frontlines of the US coronavirus surges. Others are making video calls to friends and relatives to check on their breathing and the care they are receiving.

"Through my contacts in the Health Ministry, both at central and state level, Indian Medical Association, local consulate, doctors, bureaucrats, politicians and celebrities, I could make it easy for many patients who needed help during this crisis.

"I have never used any contacts for my personal needs, but this was the time I could request them to help the needy. I am also thankful to Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who helped me in procuring several oxygen concentrators in the shortest time, when needed critically," Pahl said.

He said that at times, he had to make 50 calls to get a single bed in a hospital.

"Every life saved gave me fresh energy to help more.

"I am constantly in touch with Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma, Union Minister Arjun Meghwal and several others who have helped me help the people in crisis during these testing times.

''It is all a team effort. Fortunately, for the last few days, the frantic calls for help have become less, but the needs have changed as more people are asking for black fungus medication," Pahl said.

The collective efforts can make only a dent in a humanitarian crisis regularly resulting in more than 100,000 infections and over 3,000 deaths a day for the past several days.

However, every honest effort has brought relief to thousands of desperate families – and to Indian-American doctors battling a feeling of helplessness as they watch the horror unfold in their native land.

"While I'm happy about the US getting better and Texas especially finally feeling closer to normal, I think there is a duty to now help out other countries with the privileges that the US has.

"I would also hope non-Indians really think about how many Indians wish they could have access to the vaccine right now. I hope people see this is a reason to get vaccinated and appreciate the privilege of access to vaccination," Pahl said.

"All the justified optimism around me now feels unjust and even irresponsible. For many of us with friends and family around the world, the trauma feels like a never-ending loop: When your immediate situation improves, another loved one enters a crisis," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)