Social worker Salem Nanjundaiah Subbarao was better known as Bhai ji among his acquaintances. Even if you were meeting him for the first time, he made you feel warm, it was like being in the presence of an elder brother. That’s what helped him rehabilitate more than 600 dacoits from Chambal valley, Madhya Pradesh and bring them back into society.
This process started in 1960 with the first batch of bandits and continued for the next sixteen years until the last of them surrendered. Freedom fighters Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan were among those who helped him in his pursuit.
He worked towards the dreams of peaceful co-existence for all and always tried to bring revolutionaries into mainstream politics and society.
Mahatma Gandhi influenced Subbarao more than any other public figure. Bhai ji took solace in the Gandhian vision of freedom from violence and the arms race. He believed the latter could wipe out all of humanity.
He was one of the last pillars of a generation that struggled for the independence of India and contributed to building the new nation. His death, on 27 October 2021, marked the end of an era.
A ‘Ministry of Peace’, to restore the values of non-violence, was one of his dreams to address conflicts across the country.
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Journey into social work
Subbarao was born on 7 February 1929 in Bengaluru. His public life started at age 13 when he boycotted classes and wrote slogans of the Quit India Movement on the town’s walls. He was arrested by the British Police for his actions and remained in custody for a day. Being the son of a lawyer came to his advantage as he was released with just a warning.
He was a part of the Students Congress. He met Dr. N.S. Hardikar, the founder of the Congress Seva Dal, the party’s volunteer organisation, at an event for the Student Congress. Impressed by his popularity among the youth, he requested Subbarao to join the Seva Dal at their office in Delhi to train the foot soldiers of the party.
He joined them in 1951 and continued for the next nineteen years. He became one of the most loved leaders of the Seva Dal.
When the four-year-long Gandhi centenary celebrations started in 1965, Bhai ji conceived the idea of a ‘Gandhi Darshan Train’ and directed its functioning all over the country successfully in 1969.
With the honorarium he received as the train director, Subbarao established the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram at Jaura, in the ravine of Chambal. This was his home, it was here that his last rites were performed.
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Above party politics
Bhai ji transcended the boundaries of party politics to widen the scope of his public services in the seventies. He advocated sacrificing personal interests for a public cause. His limited needs made him an ascetic of the highest class.
Meticulous planning and preparation combined with outstanding execution were hallmarks of all his work.
Many years before the first batch of dacoits surrendered, he had begun laying the groundwork for their return. In fact, the process began with his first visit to the region in the early fifties. Subbarao used to share stories of meeting the dacoits the very first night in the ravine.
After a series of visits to the ravine of Chambal, he has organised a training camp with participants from all over India. The purpose of this series of events was to engage with the dacoits.
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A man of the people
His inclination towards language and interest in music were important components of the texture of his personality. Bhai ji was enthralled by singing since childhood. He began performing devotional songs at the age of 10. He could speak and sing in 18 Indian languages. People across the world danced to the tunes of Jai Jagat, a song made popular by Bhave.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was one among them. He established the department of peace and non-violence in the state for the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi, reportedly under Subbarao’s guidance.
He passed at the age of 92 due to Covid. He will remain a major source of inspiration for all those who strive to have a youthful energy towards social service even in old age.
Subbarao travelled extensively across the country by train. He did not carry food nor did he buy it from the catering service, yet he was never hungry on these journeys. He had admirers waiting for him at every train platform in order to deliver the food of his choice. Such was the devotion of the people to him.
The author is an environmental activist. He tweets @mrkkjha.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)