‘Unclaimed dead are our own’: Meet the men who ensure a dignified farewell for the nameless dead

Iqbal Mamdani (in blue) and the team from the Mamdani Health and Education Trust perform the last rites of bodies that remain unidentified, at the Sion crematorium. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Mumbai, where life and death dance in a relentless rhythm, two compassionate souls, Kishore Bhatt and Iqbal Mamdani, have taken it upon themselves to ensure that even in death, dignity prevails. They believe that a respectful departure, marked by solemn rituals, is the final privilege owed to every departed soul.

Among its other duties, city police has to trace and track down families of unclaimed bodies - those passing away due to diseases in hospitals, or victims of crimes and accidents; death by suicide. After the autopsy at government-run hospitals, advertisements and notices are printed in local newspapers to locate kin or acquaintances. This usually happens if no identification is found on the corpse. If no one comes forward to claim the remains, the police approaches these NGOs for help and provides an NOC (No objection Certificate). Every 15 days or so, Bhatt and Mamdani, become close family to persons they have never met and bid them goodbye.

‘All humans need to be treated with basic humanity'

The Mamdani Health and Education Trust was set up in 2010, with an intention to help the underprivileged community. It primarily focused on Health and Education, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, they stepped up to perform the last rites of those who could not be identified, or those whose families could not perform the rituals. Bhatt set up the Sadgati foundation in 2004 specifically to provide dignity in death. As a teenager, he had seen the bodies of those ravaged by the plague lay by the roadside in Surat. Nobody wanted to touch them out of fear of contracting the disease. Bhatt‘s foundation also extends financial aid to families in need for the last rites - irrespective of faith.

Kishore Bhatt set up Sadgati Foundation in 2004 to provide dignity in death

"All human beings need to be treated with basic humanity. Today we have two Hindu bodies, and hence we are at the crematorium [in Sion]," says a member of Mamdani Foundation. "Tomorrow, we might have Muslim bodies, and go to a qabristan." The Mamdani foundation has a task force of 12 members for this purpose, while Bhatt works all alone, shutting down his furniture store near Arthur Road Jail in Byculla whenever summoned. On average, they perform rituals for over 100 to 150 bodies every month, and together, they have offered a peaceful departure to over 6,000 souls so far.

"My father always taught me to help the needy," says 55-year-old Mamdani, a former media professional. "During Covid, no one was ready to touch the bodies of those claimed by the virus. One incident that stays with me is helping an 11-year-old girl perform her mother's last rites."

Both foundations work in tandem with the police. In December 2021, the then Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Vishwas Nagare Patil gave permission to the Mamdani Trust to cremate bodies; later the Government Railway Police also issued NOCs. Both NGOs have fixed cremation centers and burial grounds, but still face challenges. They may be asked to come at night, or not get physical assistance for bodies that have been mutilated by accident or disease. Sometimes, there are financial constraints or the centre may levy extra charges. In such cases, they are always helped by police presence. "Some officers also go out of their way to help us out, accompanying us to the burial ground or crematorium, helping with the paperwork, and staying until the process is over," Mamdani added.

Always ready to help

Bhatt started off as a newspaper delivery person, moving on to a sofa-making enterprise, and now owns a furniture shop named after his daughter. The 73-year-old Priti Furniture store has at the ready, all the necessary things needed to perform the last rites of bodies, such as ghee, oil and kindling for cremations, and a shroud of flowers and coffin for burials. Whenever authorities call him on his landline - Bhatt doesn't use a mobile phone - he rushes to help.

Sometimes, the police visit personally. "We go straight to his shop," says one police officer, "whenever we have NOC for a body. In 2014 he travelled to Miraj to fulfill one such duty." Bhatt does not accept donations for his philanthropy, preferring to fund everything himself. "I have always said to people that if you are spending money for a good cause, it will come back to you. Many people come here to donate money but I refuse to accept. I urge them to help some other person," he says.

It's a philosophy he has believed in since 1972, when a flood in Surat caused a plague outbreak and he was only 16 years old. "I went to help and saw dead bodies on the roads that no one was ready to touch. I told my father, who said this should be my ‘seva' (act of service)." Bhatt's compassion extends to animals, who he believes "need to be treated equally." He has given dignity in death to a cow, snake and a monkey.

Bhatt has no qualms about going to a qabristan and performing the final ‘ada namaz'. He has deep compassion for those who pass away from communicable diseases such as HIV and TB, "Two-three years ago, I had to conduct the funeral of an 18-year-old killed by tuberculosis. His family refused to accept the body. I don't hesitate as I consider the dead to be mine," he says simply.