“The greatness of a nation and its ethical progress might be judged by the best way its animals are handled.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Chandrika Yolmo Lama is a soft-spoken, compassionate lady, who could possibly be mistaken for some other householder in West Bengal’s Siliguri. However beneath her calm exterior is the center of a warrior — who has devoted her life to rescuing and rehabilitating avenue canine in her group. Her story is certainly one of profound empathy, unwavering dedication, and a deep sense of duty that drives her to take care of over 70 stray canine each single day.
Married to an officer of the Indian Military, the 50-year-old has travelled to a number of elements of the nation, together with Jabalpur, Lucknow, and Goa. With an MPhil in economics, she has, over the past decade, served as a principal at two Military faculties and the GD Goenka college in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh. Nevertheless, within the final three years, she devoted her life to cater to the unvoiced, having rescued over 200 stray canine from succumbing to illness and damage.
“That is what I need to do for the remainder of my life,” Chandrika tells The Higher India.
Her day begins with a 4.30 am stroll; whereas most would contemplate this merely part of their morning routine, for Chandrika, it’s the start of a mission — to make sure each stray she meets on her path is well-fed and catered to. She ensures that these canine obtain the care, consideration, and remedy they deserve, making a safer, extra compassionate world — one rescue at a time.
Ardour turns into objective
Chandrika’s journey into animal welfare started lengthy earlier than she arrived in Siliguri. In truth, it began practically twenty years in the past when she and her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Lakpa Yolmo Lama, have been first posted to Hisar, Haryana, in 2000. A profession educator with a coronary heart for animals, Chandrika discovered herself adopting a avenue canine whereas stationed there. Over time, her compassion grew, and her work with strays blossomed right into a full-time dedication.
“My husband and I’ve at all times had pets, and that sparked my love for animals,” she explains, sitting comfortably in her dwelling in Salbari, the place she has housed a few of her rescued canine. “Once we began shifting round, I started noticing the stray animals in every single place. I felt compelled to do one thing,” she provides.
To start with, it was small acts of kindness — feeding strays, providing them shelter after they wanted it, and sometimes adopting those that have been most in want. Over time, this humble dedication was a full-blown rescue operation. “I started feeding avenue canine repeatedly, and after I noticed a canine that was injured or sick, I’d do what I may to assist them,” she says.
When Chandrika wanted to maneuver to Goa from Lucknow, she had a pack of 12 strays she had adopted. She made all the journey by highway to make sure her canine remained snug and together with her. The canine accompanied her to Siliguri as properly, protecting over 2,500 kilometres by highway this time round as properly. “At the moment, there are 10 rescued canine in my home,” she says.
However in Siliguri, her mission confronted new challenges. “We’ve a flat close to the North Bengal Medical School and Hospital (NBMCH), however I used to be quickly working into bother with society members,” she explains. “They weren’t snug with the variety of canine I had. So, I made a decision to lease a separate home only for them in Salbari.”
Salbari, a suburb within the picturesque metropolis, has remained dwelling to a large inhabitants of stray animals, who usually search meals and shelter in folks’s houses. Chandrika quickly realised that most of the strays she encountered have been affected by severe diseases and accidents, which have been usually left untreated as a result of a scarcity of assets or consciousness locally.
That’s when she determined to take issues into her personal fingers, creating what would, in July this yr, turn out to be her rescue, remedy, and reduction centre — Indie RTR.
“It’s not an NGO or a reduction centre,” Chandrika clarifies, “Our mission is to rescue, deal with and launch the stray animals we encounter again to the placement we introduced them from.”
For funds, Chandrika depends on household and mates and avoids interesting for financial help. “Folks usually strategy me, eager to donate meals, rice, or different objects for the canine. I’m joyful to obtain these contributions in sort, however I want to not settle for money donations. I’ve seen quite a lot of exploitation in fundraising, so I be certain that all funds are used immediately for the care of the animals,” she shares.
Kindness invitations kindness
After shifting out of the NBMCH space, Chandrika initially rented a flat in Patharghata, one other suburb of town. It was on this home that she established the rescue, remedy, and reduction centre — a spot the place sick and injured animals are handled and rehabilitated earlier than being launched again into their unique places.
She continued together with her morning walks, carrying baggage of meals, biscuits and medicines — feeding and treating each stray canine she encountered within the four-kilometre stretch between her residence and the Mayfair Tea Manufacturing facility. “If I see an damage or a illness, I deal with the animal on the spot. It’s a fast solution to stop the problem from changing into severe and costly to deal with later,” she shares.
“In certainly one of my morning walks, I used to be approached by a sort gentleman, who, on studying about what I do, provided me his house to open a reduction centre freed from value,” she recollects with a gratitude-filled smile.
“Once I first noticed her on the road, I used to be out for my common morning stroll at 5 am,” says Mani Chhetri, the proprietor of the home. “I had seen her many instances earlier than, serving to each canine she got here throughout. She would feed them, deal with them, and do all the pieces on her personal.”
Mani was completely impressed by the compassion one lady may present and the resolve with which she continued her mission. “If any canine was sick or injured, whether or not from an accident or one thing else, she would care for them. From my coronary heart, I felt she was doing one thing actually particular for these animals,” he shares.
Throughout an interplay with Chandrika, Mani got here to know that she was renting a spot to cater to quite a few canine that wanted particular care. “At that second, I believed to myself, ‘I need to assist.’ So, I provided her an area on my premises for the rescue centre. It’s heartwarming to see that whereas she is doing one thing good, she can also be receiving assist. If in case you have humanity, you’ll at all times need to assist others.”
As we speak, she and her group of supporters cater to stray canine throughout town. “Any name we get, we instantly ship somebody to choose up the canine. Deal with them right here, and launch them again within the location as soon as they’ve recovered,” Chandrika says.
A health club’s distinctive initiative
Chandrika’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed by the area people. Among the many supporters of her efforts are Alok Menon, and his spouse, Shilpa, house owners of a close-by health club. After having opened the health club, the couple was searching for a solution to promote themselves, whereas on the similar time, contributing to the area people they have been part of.
“A member of my health club, who can also be a canine lover, advised me about Mrs Lama. So, my spouse and I went and met her,” Alok recollects.
“We have been really impressed by what she had been doing for the previous few years. Each morning, she walks 8 to 9 kilometres to feed the strays. I believed, ‘That is above and past’. Whereas many individuals assist animals, it’s normally on a smaller scale. She was doing one thing extraordinary.”
“Proper then and there, we determined to help her. Past the occasion, we determined to donate rice for the animals. The occasion itself was a hit, and folks additionally donated meals and medicine for the canine,” he provides.
Alok’s health club in Siliguri not too long ago hosted a fundraiser to help Chandrika’s work. The idea was easy: for each pull-up {that a} participant accomplished through the occasion, a small donation can be made in the direction of Indie RTR.
“We wished to present again to the group and lift consciousness in regards to the strays within the space,” Alok explains. “Our objective was modest, however we have been pleasantly stunned with the response. The occasion was a hit.”
“This occasion not solely raised funds but additionally educated folks in regards to the significance of caring for avenue animals,” Chandrika shares.
Introducing QR codes
Over the previous three years, Chandrika’s work has turn out to be a beacon of hope for a lot of avenue animals within the space. However even with the help of her husband and a handful of caregivers, the work might be overwhelming. To handle the rising variety of rescues, Chandrika launched an revolutionary system: QR code collars.
“The concept got here to me as a solution to preserve monitor of the animals we rescue,” she explains. “We place QR codes on the canine after they’ve been handled. When somebody scans it, they will see the canine’s medical historical past and our contact info. It helps elevate consciousness and permits us to maintain monitor of the animals we take care of.”
Chandrika has additionally employed two ladies — Akriti Subba and Rakhi Gurung — to assist her in her mission. “I pay them a really modest wage. They’re additionally die-hard animal lovers and have been extremely supportive, reaching out to me to affix the mission.”
‘For those who can’t love them, no less than don’t harm them’
Chandrika’s efforts align with a broader motion in India to stop cruelty in the direction of stray animals, notably canine.
In 2016, the Supreme Courtroom of India issued directives urging municipalities to deal with stray canine humanely, making provisions for his or her sterilisation, and calling for legal guidelines to guard them from hurt.
The Animal Beginning Management (ABC) Guidelines, 2023 — notified by the Central Authorities beneath the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 — mandating the sterilisation and immunisation of stray canine by native authorities, additionally explicitly creates provisions for the humane remedy of stray animals.
Aside from prohibiting the killing of canine, the ABC Guidelines, 2023, additionally stop the relocation of any stray canine from their areas of residence. Moreover, the Guidelines tackle feeding preparations for stray animals, requiring Resident Welfare Associations or Condo Proprietor Associations to designate feeding spots and instances to minimise conflicts with residents.
Chandrika desires all animal lovers to proceed creating consciousness for a future era that will be extra compassionate in the direction of animals, and for many who aren’t keen on animals, she has one request: “For those who can’t love them, feed them; no less than don’t harm them.”
Edited by Pranita Bhat; Pictures courtesy Chandrika Yolmo Lama
