Harkachand Sabla, once an unnoticed hotel owner, has quietly fed over 700 people daily and given free medicines to lakhs of cancer patients for 33 years in Mumbai.

The Silent Saint of Mumbai: How One Man Became a Lifeline for Thousands Facing Cancer

In the bustling heart of Mumbai, just opposite the revered Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, there’s a man whose name never made headlines, yet his actions echo louder than most. Harkachand Sabla, a humble hotel owner, has been a silent savior for cancer patients and their families for over three decades—without ever expecting recognition or reward.

His journey began not with a grand vision, but with quiet empathy. Day after day, Sabla watched distressed families pacing outside the hospital gates. Many had traveled across India, clinging to hope while battling financial ruin. The cost of cancer treatment is daunting, but what struck Sabla most was how many couldn't even afford a basic meal while caring for their critically ill loved ones.

What did he do? He cooked and fed them, starting with just 10 to 12 meals a day from his modest eatery. No banners, no donations—just a sense of duty. “They were already fighting the toughest battle of their lives,” he once said. “The least I could do was feed them.”

Word Spread—And So Did Compassion

Soon, the news of his generosity began to spread. From a dozen meals, it became 50, then 200, and eventually grew to 700 hot meals a day, served completely free of cost to the attendants of cancer patients.

As his work reached more ears, volunteers, donors, and even doctors stepped up. Over time, an organic network of kindness formed around him. The simple act of feeding the hungry turned into a full-blown community mission.

“There’s a kind of strength that grows when one person decides to care. Sabla didn’t start a charity—he started a movement,” says one local volunteer who now helps manage food logistics.

Beyond Food: A Free Medicine Bank for the Poor

Sabla didn’t stop at feeding the hungry. He saw how even basic medicines were beyond reach for families already drowning in hospital bills. In 1991, he began another quiet revolution—he established a free medicine bank for the underprivileged.

Through partnerships with local chemists and support from well-wishers, he began collecting and distributing medicines to those who could not afford them. Over the last 33 years, it's estimated that lakhs of cancer patients—yes, hundreds of thousands—have received life-saving medications at no cost, thanks to this initiative.

The medicine bank is now one of the largest grassroots health support programs in Mumbai operating without corporate or government funding. The names and faces change every day, but the mission remains the same: no one should suffer because they are poor.

Recognition? He Never Asked For It

At 57 years old, Harkachand Sabla remains as humble as ever. Despite the thousands he helps, he rarely speaks to the media and resists public recognition. For him, the work speaks louder than any award.

“When someone thanks me with tears in their eyes, that’s more than enough,” he once said.

In a country where medical poverty is a harsh reality—as highlighted by reports from The Lancet and NITI Aayog on India’s out-of-pocket health expenses—Sabla’s work fills a gap that too often goes ignored. According to the Public Health Foundation of India, over 63 million Indians fall into poverty every year due to healthcare costs. People like Sabla are the unsung shock absorbers in a broken system.

How You Can Help

If you’re moved by Sabla’s story, there are ways to contribute. You can:

• Donate food, time, or medicines to local volunteer groups around Tata Memorial Hospital.
• Support verified medicine banks in your city.
• Start a small local initiative inspired by Sabla’s model—because one man feeding ten strangers started a movement that now helps thousands daily.

A Reminder of What Humanity Looks Like

In a world often jaded by headlines of corruption and crisis, Harkachand Sabla’s story reminds us that genuine change doesn’t always come from policies or platforms—it often begins with one man and a plate of food.

He may never trend on social media or win celebrity awards, but to thousands of grieving, struggling families, he is nothing short of a miracle.

Sources:

• Tata Memorial Centre
• Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
• Interviews with local Mumbai volunteers and patient attendants
• Ground reports from cancer patient welfare forums