I wish peace for him...

Received this shockingly sad news this morning about Bhupenji.

He expired last to last night in a bike accident. Around the same time when my uncle did in hospital. At the same place where he came to receive me on the same bike probably when I was coming back to Kumharpara from Nagarnar from the crafts workshop one late night. At the same place where we had a glass of chay by roadside on that chilly night.

He once waited till late in Saathi to give me company for dinner and we chatted till it was late and the night was cold.

Bhupen Banchhar was one of the 3 co-founders of Saathi, must not be much above 40. Worked in Bastar for about 17/18 years selflessly. I found him honest, innocent, humble, caring, down to earth.

Had he not been there I would've never discovered the Naringi river.

He was the one who dropped me till the Kondagaon bus stop and got me seated in the bus to Raipur for my return journey.
He died on the spot…

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