Baramulla, Sept 14: Based on his social service over the last two decades, a dental surgeon from Baramulla Dr. Itinderpal Singh has earned his recognition as a “first-aid man of Kashmir”, who has trained thousands of volunteers for disaster preparedness.
Dr. Itinderpal Singh has been at the forefront of disaster preparedness and rescue operations and trained thousands of volunteers across the country to respond to natural calamities.
His journey in disaster relief started some two decades ago when an earthquake left trails of destruction in the Uri area of Baramulla district in 2005.
His realisation about Kashmir’s vulnerability to disasters and the inspiration drawn from peace activist Nirmala Deshpande, pushed him to dedicate his life to training people in first aid, rescue, and rehabilitation.
“I have been part of almost every major disaster response since 2005. From the Kashmir earthquake and floods to the Nepal earthquake and Bihar floods I have been part of every relief and rescue operation,” he said.
Over the years he has trained over 30000 people across India including 10000 to 15000 in Kashmir alone. He has also worked with different international organizations including UNICEF, UNDP, and Save the Children besides representing India at a pre-hospital workshop in Riyadh.
His services have earned him recognition of India’s leading master trainers, not only in first aid but also in hospital emergency response.
His contributions have earned him multiple awards which include the State Award for Social Reform, felicitation by Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences on World Head Injury Day, and the Mahatma Gandhi Rashtriya Seva Medal for his relief work in Operation Sindoor.
“My biggest satisfaction is when someone calls me and says you trained us and we saved someone’s life. That makes all the sacrifices worthwhile,” he said.
He said that at times, he gave up his private dental practice to fully devote himself to disaster management.
“But disaster risks in Kashmir are evolving and require a more serious approach. The pattern of disasters has changed. In addition to earthquakes, now we see flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides as well. Every village must have a trained task force in first aid, search and rescue, camp arrangement, and early warning systems,” he said.
He said that time was right for people to get disaster-ready. “More awareness programmes are required at the grassroots level. Communities must know how to mitigate risks and act during emergencies. Government efforts must be complemented by citizen preparedness,” he said.
When asked about the response of youth in volunteer work, he said that Kashmir has no dearth of volunteers as young people are eager to learn.
“We conduct awareness drives in schools and colleges, after which interested students are enrolled for proper training at Civil Defence offices. The response has been overwhelming,” he said.
