67-yr-old sets out on 1,100km walk to promote organ donation

Nashik: Inspired by social activist Baba Amte’s compilation of poems ‘Jwala ani Phule’, a 67-year-old man embarked on a walk from here on Friday to Anandwan to make people aware about the need of organ donation.
Amte, in his compilation of poems, expressed hoped to see a donation of one lakh organs to society in his lifetime.
Sunil Deshpande, a restaurant owner, started walking on Friday with the hope to reach Anandwan in Chandrapur district by January 14.During his walk, he will spread awareness about the importance of organ donation in villages, schools and colleges which fall on his route.
Deshpande is accompanied by wife Ranjana, who is driving a car with all required articles. A few more close friends of their age have also joined in to encourage Deshpande. His aim is to spread the awareness to a scale where at least one lakh people will pledge to donate their organs.
On Friday, after Deshpande started his walk, organ donation forms of parents of 105 students from Horizon School were presented to him. In the the last two days, Deshpande and his team has conducted at least six programmes in Dindori and Wani.
“The response from people has been enthusiastic. They have promised to spread awareness about organ donation,” Deshpande said.
Deshpande began practising for his long journey in September and by October he realised that he could walk 20km to 25km at a stretch, after which he and his friends chalked out a route map, passing through areas of Nashik districit, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati, Vardha and Nagpur.
The low temperature does not bother Deshpande. “It’s only a matter of first half an hour. Once you start walking, you start sweating no matter how low the mercury may be. I wear warm clothes to be on the safer side as the walk has to be finished on the scheduled day,” he said.
He is also carrying copies of a book on organ donation compiled by him, which is given to those who donate money.