A tribute to Major General Ranbir Bakhshi (MC)

Director 1975- 1991

Chairman 1991 - 2004
Chairman Emeritus 2004-2006
 
Major General Ranbir Bakhshi MC was born on the 1st of April 1912 as the eldest child of Dr Ram Lal Bakhshi and Mrs Gujari Bakhshi at Montgomery (now in Pakistan). Always keen to join the Army he was enrolled as a cadet in the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun in 1937 and was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1939.

Apart from a very active career in his 27-years with the Army, he was awarded the Military Cross as a young Captain in 1945 at London by King George V1 for gallantry during the Japanese invasion - Battle of Prome and the battle of Kyankse.
 

It was during this time as a wounded Captain he met and later married Dr Shobha. It was a little battle there as well – his parents were against the marriage since Dr Shobha was not of the same community. The then young Captain went on a “hunger strike” till his family relented. They have two children – Sunita and Arun.
 

Major General Bakhshi retired as the Commandant, National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune in 1966.
 

After a short stint as an Administrator for the Late Maharaja of Jodhpur’s properties, he decided to return to his family home in Dehradun in 1973.
 

It is then that he got involved in social work.  Having met Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO, DFC and Lady Sue Ryder, Founders of Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre, and seeing their dedication to the cause of the disadvantaged, Major General Bakhshi was touched and showed his desire to help the society. In 1975 “Rummy” as General Bakhshi was fondly known, was invited to join the General Council of Raphael and became its Director. He became Chairman of the Governing Council in 1991.
 
Rummy brought to the post of Director not only his military flair for administration but also deep-seated concern for the welfare and happiness of everyone who lived at Raphael. He worked tirelessly and with gentleness and kindness that was characteristic of General Bakhshi’s personality.   He acted with conviction and persistence to help the needy. He was gracious, tolerant and very humorous too. He always maintained a happy atmosphere within Raphael. Along the way he became very close to Lord Cheshire and Lady Sue Ryder.
 

 His desire to contribute to the society especially to the cause of the disabled and disadvantaged was achieved through relentless perseverance and sheer dedication. He worked patiently with the Government and other national NGO’s towards a better understanding and kindness for the less privileged. His contribution along with other eminent personalities working in the disability sector, culminated in the Parliament enacting the “Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995”, which conferred a lot of privileges to the Disabled.  In recognition of his philanthropic service to mankind and for his lifetime contribution towards the disabled, he was recipient of several International and National Awards.