New Delhi: There are many messiahs in this world who painstakingly continue to work for the welfare of others. One such person is entrepreneur turned philanthropist Dr Surinderpal Singh Oberoi. He was instrumental in bringing back 17 Indians who were awarded a death sentence in UAE on allegations of killing one Pakistani in 2011. The allegations were never proved, but from then on there has been no looking back and he has rescued around 142 individuals from across the Gulf region, spending over $2.6 million from his own pocket.”When I began to work I was ambitious and wanted to be successful and make good money. I initially moved from India to Dubai and ventured into the hotel industry and then experienced a dramatic shift in focus due to a pressing humanitarian issue. In 2011, 17 Indian nationals were awarded death sentence. Concerned about their plight, I took decisive action.”To assist these individuals, I paid the blood money required for their release. This financial contribution was crucial in facilitating their return to India after seeking permission from the then Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, to ensure that these individuals could be repatriated safely,” Dr. SPS Oberoi told this newspaper, adding that he paid $1.4 million to facilitate the repatriation of the 17 Indian nationals sentenced to death in 2011.Following that incident, he was inundated by request calls from many who were jailed.Dr. Oberoi has been actively involved in humanitarian efforts, focusing on several critical issues like paying for air travel of those Indian prisoners who didn’t have money to return and transporting bodies of those who have died while working in the Gulf. He has now been rescuing young girls who are conned by agents to work in the Gulf and end up being sold.”I am approached almost every other day by family members of these young girls who are lured into working in the Gulf. Upon arrival their passports and visas are kept by the agents who sell them to the rich who seek them for domestic work, and they are often abused,” lamented Dr Oberoi.Its not just Indians that Dr Oberoi has helped out – individuals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Phillipines are amongst those rescued.Dr Oberoi also runs a trust `Sarbat da Bhalla’ which literally translates as goodness for all. He has created subsidies healthcare facilities across India where people can get their dialysis, pathology tests done at nominal rates. He also offers pensions to those who are needy.”People keep approaching me for help and I am grateful to God to be in a position to reach out and do whatever I can in my capacity. Recently, someone approached me to help out cine star of yesteryears Rehana Sultan who is ailing and is in hospital. She has no finances to talk about. Will do all I can,” he added.
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