The Forgotten 'Unforgetable" Jacob Sassoon

The Forgotten "Unforgetable" Jacob Sassoon

What a shame for all of us, particularly for the Maharashtra Government and the BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, that we showed ungratefulness to a great Jewish personality Jacob David Sassoon, whose centenary is being celeberated 1909 - 2009 the world over. And we never thought of even thinking of this person who constructed a beautiful building in the Sassoon General Hospital more than a century ago, and which now houses the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgical Theatre and the Burns Ward. More than 120 plus years ago he constructed this building at a cost of Rs. 2,00,000, which may now be more than 20 core in Indian Rupees.

And what did we give him in return as a gratitude for his contribution? Nothing except to forget him for ever. Even his statue in the building is covered with dust and darkness. Did he deserve this reward for his contribution to the Indian people?

Ignoring Jacob Sassoon, and his father David Sassoon for the donation of several acres of land and several beautiful buildings in the Sassoon General Hospital, exhibits our mentality, tendency and ungratefulness. The message goes around to the world about the Indian mindset and only invites criticsm and slurs the image of our country. But then, who is interested in what the world says about the Indians? We are thick skinned, is the message that goes to the global community.

Forgetting a person like Jacob Sassoon, is a graveous mistake. We cannot get away with the idiom of saying "People's memory is short." This is not only gross negligence on part of the officials of Sassoon General Hospital, but a serious error on part of the officials which deserves no forgiveness but punishment and more condemnation.

Dr. Bhushand Gagrani, Sir, how do you guage this negligence? You have handled a vital department like Tourism, wrote several articles on monuments, heritages, and tourist spots, and thus know the significance of such heritage buildings as of Sassoon General Hospital. Don;t you feel that forgetting Jacob Sassoon during his centenary year is a serious lapse? Don't you feel that this ignorance will put all the Indians to shame and disgrace in the world community? And don't you agree that the officials of Sassoon General Hospital have put the government and the people of India in an embarrassing situation? In my view and in the view of the people at large, yes, it would. Then in an age of accountablity, is it not fair to take necessary action against all those who failed on this front to remember the contribution of Jacob Sassoon in his centerary year which the world is celeberating?

And Dr. Arun Jamkar, this is not the time for you to smile as in the picture. Sir, I had written last time in an earlier blog, that if you are happy receiving bouqets than you should also be prepared to be hit by brickbats for your flaws. Unfortunately, you cannot escape the responsibility of not knowing important historical events associated with the BJMC or the Sassoon General Hospital. As head of the institution and hospital, and more as an administrator, you who has the distinction of serving the hospital for about 30 years, which unfortunately, no other doctor in the hospital holds this distinction, and again, for which you should have not been there according to the law, you cannot absolve yourself from missing out on such an important event.

The problem, as I explained earlier, that you are too busy grooming yourself with flattery and self praise, though you are very weak, to be precise extremly weak on administration front. It would not be wrong to describe you as a 'meek and week' administrator who has no time for uplifting the image of the hospital or knowing what are the important significans of places in the campus. The other problem with you is that you waste your time, energy and talent in involving your self in petty and unproductive politics, playing one professor against another, double speak, incompetent to take strong disciplinary action, not willing to correct yourself and use your skills and political connections to benefit the hospital or the BJMC. Regretfully you are surrounded by illeterate advisors, who tax your brain with their useless and wrong advises to force you make silly and foolish decision, which you later try to retract. You remain fickle minded and so remain a confused person. And rememeber that you have a long way to go. The Avtaar Meher Baba people are roosting for you. They are approaching the Tatas to help them with their issues. You have cooked the Ghoose, Dr. Jamkar.

Forgetting a person like Jacob Sassoon on his centerary, and not remembering him even to this day, makes you unfit to be in the saddle of a Dean and head of the hospital. And now accept the blame gracefully instead of passing the buck on others. The Sassoon Hospital is suffocating. Heritage sites are being demolished to make way for NGOs like Safosh. All this is happening during your tenure. And God knows why the Chief Minister throwing all norms and rules to the wind thought you fit again to head the BJMC and Sassoon General Hospital. And mind well, there are still enough pitfalls for you. Dont leap and shed your tears on the shoulders of others, particularly the CM or the Secretary. Don;'t fire the guns from their shoulder.

You have a very short tenure left, then do something good for the institation and hospital, and depart holding your head high. Look around and see where the best can be done, instead of self patting your back. Stop all the politics and sycophancy. Be upright and honest and execute your work with dignity and justice to all. Don;t bother the CM or the Secretary without your nagging disinformation notes, but make them feel proud of you. Yes agreed, you are a fine gentleman, goody-goody speaking, but not able to take proper and just decisions in any administrative issues.

Now please dont become a liability for others, again for the CM or the Secretary. And dont nag them with your woes and problems. They have more important things to do, rather than spare time for your illogical rattlings. Please, please, do some constructive work, Sir.