Prahlad Solanki

Nominated for : Saving people who jump into the Sabarmati
to end their life.

Initiative - Saves people from drowning.

Fifty-one-year-old Prahlad Solanki claims to be a humble fisherman who loves the Sabarmati as he does his mother. However, Solanki is much more than a simple fisherman. He is like a ray of hope to those who, in their state of despair, decide to give up one of the most precious gift – life. In the past 34 years, Solanki has saved more than 100 people from ending their lives in the Sabarmati.For this fisherman who lives under Subhash Bridge, saving people who fall or jump into the river is his life’s mission. According to Solanki, he cannot bear the thought of someone losing a loved one. “Once I saw a family mourn the loss of a loved one who had drowned in the river. There was so much pain there. I do whatever I can to spare other families the same pain,” Solanki says. According to Solanki, most people he has rescued had jumped off the Subhash Bridge or the railway bridge.
Solanki says, “The first time I rescued a person from drowning, I was 17. No one, not even the most dejected person, would consciously end his or her life. It is just a moment of insanity that prompts the dejected to take such an extreme step. Even when they do take the final plunge, I am sure they are hoping against hope that someone will save them.”
He has even fashioned a raft from thermocol -- which can easily carry seven people—to help his cause. “The raft is lighter and fast, which means I can reach the drowning person quickly. The raft has helped me save several lives.” In fact, Solanki takes pride in the fact that he is on the spot to rescue the victims even before the fire brigade.
Some of the victims whom Solanki has saved have returned to thank him for his kindness. “A few months ago, I saved a Motera woman from drowning in the Sabarmati. She had jumped into the river to end her life as she was ill and didn’t want to be a burden on her family. I rescued her and took her home to her family. A few days ago, she visited me. She is on her way to recovery now and is very happy. Life, with all its ups and downs, is never hopeless,” says this father of two.
Solanki learnt to swim at 10. He recollects, “I took to the water like a fish. Since then, I have loved the water. Sabarmati is like a mother to me. I loathe leaving her. When I was 18, a fire officer, impressed by my rescue skills, had promised to give me a job in the fire brigade once I turned 21. But I loved the river so much that I took up fishing.” According to Solanki, he does not regret his decision, considering he earns Rs 400 to Rs 500 daily from fishing and still saves lives.
His wife Shyamakumari says, “Sometimes he sleeps on the raft so that he can be close to the river. I am proud of my husband. He is the most kind-hearted man I have ever met.”
Over the years, people have come forward to give Solanki monetary assistance. But he humbly turns down the offers of help. “Money is not my goal. What I do is not for money or glory but for my conscience. If I stand by and watch a person drown, what kind of person would I be?” ponders the fisherman.
Although he has not been able to save every person who has fallen into the river, he is happy to have made a difference in the lives of some. “I will continue to save drowning people till god and my body allows it,” he ends.