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Piles of wood lie outside a crematorium in Kolhapur. Jitendra helps health workers carry the bodies of Covid patients if no one else comes. Sanket Jain for The National
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'There’s no leave in this work,' says Jitendra Shinde, a rickshaw driver in Kolhapur city who has dropped over 15,000 patients to hospital for free. Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra Shinde satnds by his rickshaw, which he uses to carry Covid-19 patients as well. Sanket Jain for The National
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Often people get to know of Jitendra from patients he has helped. Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra dropping a patient to a hospital on the outskirts of the city. Sanket Jain for The National
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First, he sanitises the hands of the passengers and only then allows them to sit. Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra takes all the precautions before dropping any Covid patient. Sanket Jain for The National
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He spent 5,000 rupees on PPE kits. Jitendra takes all the precautions before dropping any Covid patient. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QPR2VCTAFVEIV3RLTRVNG3IHQQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=17591e599fa2b61c504d4927d1f5346d413c819880e1066d5dd0ac141af800e9&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra gets calls for medical emergencies even in the middle of the night but says he has never turned away a patient needing transport. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2FD7B7U3CMI2SMFT3JXIK5AZOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=90782445049ca4a3103378d25b434b0a18f90d964554d1eac23a4788344d2cb7&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra drops patients to any hospital in Kolhapur city free of charge. Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra says: 'The first thing you have to do is battle the fear before you decide to fight any crisis.' Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra drops the patients to any hospital in Kolhapur city for free. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZJCL4ZBYJSS5YYMT77PL7G7FR4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ea3e38868dec491d04d57818d85ce9b69304209f618751c94dedc4bf7f0a94b7&width=400&height=225)
'If someone tests Covid positive, society makes them a pariah. How will such people reach hospitals or quarantine centres?', he asks. Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra buys vegetables for the patients who cannot leave home during isolation. Sanket Jain for The National
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Jitendra buys vegetables for the patients who cannot leave home during isolation. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3YCQH7QQYQDSPEMDYIJ7EFMEQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=e67a048663cea04c8054a38aab746758f93b89e476eb759c4f57138241e9c00f&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra also brings medicines, groceries, and vegetables for patients. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFAC3JA7EOVKHKI67VAHP4EQPA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd2bec2319f67da9c72f45b5d8674177d9002112082a45c0d0fa42fca73dfac1&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra helps complete the final rites when no family member shows up. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XBXJEJ6TK6U5RINTG7ODC3765Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=5728b7f42d73e9886a162f9fb118662bbe7823a3c615a9a244179bbb66b65293&width=400&height=225)
Piles of wood lie outside a crematorium in Kolhapur. Jitendra helps health workers carry the bodies of Covid patients if no one else comes. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TDFIEW5YU74PMXEBIXGUKPFPLQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=cb5a6a899651e716e92213fe3c2b26bf0237cbc0ff78d56500508da069f02c91&width=400&height=225)
'There’s no leave in this work,' says Jitendra Shinde, a rickshaw driver in Kolhapur city who has dropped over 15,000 patients to hospital for free. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GH45GAAV3IBKJJEQTRB3JGON24.jpg?smart=true&auth=179efa0d5965982cfd0fa5cb94a047b469ffb06c5e2dc85abf91a1014d4d8227&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra Shinde satnds by his rickshaw, which he uses to carry Covid-19 patients as well. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TPIIXUESLQ4HJEAO6PJMLJWJ5A.jpg?smart=true&auth=e3594b0f8ba221fe346d7088c32a80dd08eacd40efd1a66fd861c258af414c7c&width=400&height=225)
Often people get to know of Jitendra from patients he has helped. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G7GK2T7BE7VZMNTEJQMHZ2HSNA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6e61b4f663bf41bec39fff36b954f4bc364119f276a0c25bc482e186e405e79e&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra dropping a patient to a hospital on the outskirts of the city. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DKB5JJ6DKTA57WM525PU4TSVU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=467ab30cb29eacfce99fc33fc2a06e0ad804cad6cfd4924014a4a28f497b097e&width=400&height=225)
First, he sanitises the hands of the passengers and only then allows them to sit. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DAIEXWNE7TMDHOF5P6G34MAJEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=8c6c607eef2ab8aac287a82c20b8043df5eb050ccc4f85e0f29e25364c1298ec&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra takes all the precautions before dropping any Covid patient. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NDFWI5SBJZFUS4ZGW2NQXJEM7E.jpg?smart=true&auth=0fe26e4390f233909061b6348f1569fc728652d3c020f0f17a7d79a569259819&width=400&height=225)
He spent 5,000 rupees on PPE kits. Jitendra takes all the precautions before dropping any Covid patient. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QPR2VCTAFVEIV3RLTRVNG3IHQQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=17591e599fa2b61c504d4927d1f5346d413c819880e1066d5dd0ac141af800e9&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra gets calls for medical emergencies even in the middle of the night but says he has never turned away a patient needing transport. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2FD7B7U3CMI2SMFT3JXIK5AZOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=90782445049ca4a3103378d25b434b0a18f90d964554d1eac23a4788344d2cb7&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra drops patients to any hospital in Kolhapur city free of charge. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RXBJL4CIFJD57WKYDKHAFR6FEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=1c380935d764867b521f6c33adcfffb448d28ef151e66c23f0f5f2c78e647e9b&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra says: 'The first thing you have to do is battle the fear before you decide to fight any crisis.' Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CWYIE3DKW76UHC5HK6JRF5UN4U.jpg?smart=true&auth=7525de036e9cefee317cccdb332bd110f71d754c1a28fbc59a04eb30194eae53&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra drops the patients to any hospital in Kolhapur city for free. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZJCL4ZBYJSS5YYMT77PL7G7FR4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ea3e38868dec491d04d57818d85ce9b69304209f618751c94dedc4bf7f0a94b7&width=400&height=225)
'If someone tests Covid positive, society makes them a pariah. How will such people reach hospitals or quarantine centres?', he asks. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/U42BBJXPXKMRCJCWRASBF36IFI.jpg?smart=true&auth=185ed17e4658869cc9c4d581d1be60cecbcb649c54b136717424fc66f83a701c&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra buys vegetables for the patients who cannot leave home during isolation. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KNZBNGOR3KKUS7I53DDEA52BLI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b6f5ce8057d4d0a391a7879d609c1548886bb519071d3cc7ae4d8a5e75e39b1c&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra buys vegetables for the patients who cannot leave home during isolation. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3YCQH7QQYQDSPEMDYIJ7EFMEQY.jpg?smart=true&auth=e67a048663cea04c8054a38aab746758f93b89e476eb759c4f57138241e9c00f&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra also brings medicines, groceries, and vegetables for patients. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFAC3JA7EOVKHKI67VAHP4EQPA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd2bec2319f67da9c72f45b5d8674177d9002112082a45c0d0fa42fca73dfac1&width=400&height=225)
Jitendra helps complete the final rites when no family member shows up. Sanket Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XBXJEJ6TK6U5RINTG7ODC3765Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=5728b7f42d73e9886a162f9fb118662bbe7823a3c615a9a244179bbb66b65293&width=400&height=225)
Piles of wood lie outside a crematorium in Kolhapur. Jitendra helps health workers carry the bodies of Covid patients if no one else comes. Sanket Jain for The National
India's Covid-19 crisis: rickshaw driver gives free hospital trips to thousands
Jitendra Shinde has put his health and personal finances on the line since March 2020
Sanket Jain
05 May, 2021
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