Vallabhbhai Kathiria

Indian politician

Associated with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (R.S.S.) since childhood; participated in Nav-nirman agitation in Gujarat, 1973-74; as a surgeon, operated over 7500 patients and diagnosed and cured over 1,00,000 patients; associated with several medical organisations in different capacities in Rajkot and Saurashtra since 1983; donated blood 104 times; organised more than 500 general diagnostic camps and 350 blood donation camps; imprisoned during Emergency; introduced the mobile hospital concept, especially mobile dispensary service in rural areas; Member, (i) All India Council for Health and Family Welfare, 1998-99; (ii) Tuberculosis Association of India, 1998-99; (iii) Nursing Council of India 1996-97; (iv) International Medical Parliamentarian Association; (v) Divisional Railways Users’ Consultative Committee, Rajkot and Bhavnagar Division; (vi) Telephone Advisory Committee; (vii) Federation of Legislators of India (viii) International Forum of Parliamentarians on Intellectual Property; and (ix) National Cooperative Forum; (x) Constitution Club, Delhi; and (xi) Indian Council of Medical Research; Conferred Dadabhai Navarojaji Industrial Peace and Development Award, 2000; instrumental in organising (i) "Heavy meets the small" - a giant industrial show in Rajkot, 2000; (ii) Agro Vision-2003 (Revolutionary Agricultural Event); (iii) Rajkot Book Fair-2003; and (iv) Arogya Mela Feb. 2004; (v) Blood Donation Camp in which 5174 blood donors donated their blood at a time following the unprecedented earthquake in Gujarat in 2001, undertook untiring work of rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the affected people; tried to solve water scarcity problem with the help of Check Dams & Water Harvesting structures; and is popularily known as `Check-Dam Sansad ` professing faith in "Nothing but the hard work succeeds" and nurturing vision of " The glorious, the great and the divine India" of 21st Century