BABUJI BATHERY

Life Spent in Service to Humanity

“Whatever we do to the least of our neighbours, we do to Him. So if you really want to serve Him, the best way to start is by serving the needy”, Jesus once said. This vision of Jesus has been exemplified by a person who had moved thousands of miles away from his motherland to earn his bread and butter in a foreign land. Highly motivated and innovative in executing his creative ideas and concepts, the young man not just found his bread and butter but beat his own path in creating a place in the hearts of millions of expatriates and natives in the Kingdom Kuwait.

It was on June 6, 2000, that Babuji reached Kuwait to enhance his career prospects. That marked the beginning of a new phase of his life. Within no time Babuji became active in the socio-cultural field of the Kingdom of Kuwait. Babuji works as Manager, Logistics and Contracts at Frontline Logistics, Kuwait.

Living in Kuwait since the past two decades and more, Babuji began his journey as a philanthropist and founded “THANIMA” (The Human and Nostalgic Interaction of Malayali’s Abroad), along with a few likeminded people. Even though Thanima, means Originality in his mother-tongue Malayalam, he envisioned to extend the activities of the organisation with all those who shared his values for humanity and social commitment. Thanima, established as a socio- cultural organisation in 2004, started as a forum intended to conduct socio-cultural activities for the Indian community.

The uniqueness of THANIMA is in its operations management, where there are no hierarchies of organisational office bearers, but 75 devoted and committed members who take decisions unanimously to execute all programmes successfully.

Babuji Bathery, as he is popularly known, is a multifaceted personality who had proven his mettle in different areas of social life in Kuwait. Named Thomas and popularly known as Babuji Bathery, he was born in Vaduvanchal of Wayanad district in Kerala, India on 9th April 1968. He graduated in Economics from the University of Kerala in 1989. Even during his school days, Babuji was fond of helping the needy and was always in the forefront of his school team in all co-curricular activities. As an excellent communicator, his days in college strengthened his organisational capabilities and creative pursuits that shaped him as visionary young.

Cultural activities

As a professional theater personality, Babuji is a versatile actor, drama director, playwright and lyricist. He had directed three full length professional Dramas and a competition play in Kuwait. Othallo (An adaptation in Malayalam of the world classic Shakespear’s Othello) was a sold-out three-hour long drama and was staged on May 13 & 14, 2018 for a record 6,000 people and was a unique experience.

Neethimante Simhasanam was a Biblical drama for three-hour duration staged on April 30, 2010. Another
drama of importance was Oru Vadakan Veerakatha, a sold-out social drama with two shows on May 20, 2011.

Contrary to the current trend of dramas generating lukewarm response, all the dramas attracted an excited houseful audience in Kuwait.

Oru Kottukaranum Kure Thullakkarum was a drama he directed for KSNA and Governor Peelathos was forchurch groups.

He also wrote and directed numerous skits of 30 minutes’ duration from 2000 onwards. He also penned three highly popular devotional and folk songs CDs with 30 songs. Babuji also wrote more than 25 choir songs and also three for dramas.

In Decembers 2016, Babuji directed ‘Santa Redemer’ – a Biblical Light & Sound show with 160 artists and 80technicians that used 12 multi-level stages and 12 track surrounding audio system, at Indian Central School, Jeleeb Al Shoukh, Kuwait, which was a mega-hit.
He had directed well-appreciated mega ‘Light & Sound’ shows in Kuwait that were for five days and 10 daysdurations. Babuji has also dabbled in the film industry donning the role of an assistant film director. His oratory and literary skills have made him popular among the NRK community in Kuwait and in the GCC. His other areas of competency include training corporate human resources and leadership training for children. Well-known as quiz master and professional anchor for many leading events in Kuwait, it has also given him opportunities to organize mega events.

The philanthropic activities of Babuji came to the fore during the SARS Cov-2 pandemic. His innovative concept of supporting those needy expatriates called AIIMS (Alternative Integral Initiative for Mutual Support) helped thousands of ordinary people those who were affected by COVID-19. Speaking about the concept –AIIMS, Babuji says, “In Jaleeb Al Shouk, where, a large community of Indians resided, AIIMS network coordinated with 1,500 buildings for reducing rent discounts for 6 months from the Kuwaiti flat owners as full lockdown, unemployment and disease restricted people leading normal life. The rent reduction campaign helped the Indian diaspora to gain a discount of KD 50- 200 per flat for 3months. On an average, there was a discount of KD 125 per flat for nearly 10,000 flats leading to a saving of a total of KD 3.75 million.”

The functional areas of AIIMS were divided into six areas with eight departments such as daily grocery supply, medicine, cooked food, communication, medical team with ambulance, rent reduction committee, counseling department and cultural division. As the general convener of the project, Babuji ensured the team of executive committee members did not fail in resisting the pandemic. The team distributed more than 5,000 grocery kits worth KWD 7 per kit, mobilized more than KD 35,000 to meet this expenditure.

Medicines worth KD10 per person were distributed to 2,000 ordinary people in the lockdown area with the support of private hospitals, medical suppliers and individuals. Funds worth KD 20,000 was raised for this humanitarian cause. Medicines were imported from India and distributed in Kuwait. The organisation helped mobilise1,500 food packets daily from the flats and distributed them to the labour camps for three months. A 24×7 medical team equipped with cars converted into ambulances supported more than 300 persons who were afflicted with COVID-19. Those who were severely affected were provided with medical support at hospitals. And those with manageable conditions were quarantined at their own places ofliving with the help of volunteer nurses and medical personnel.

Awards and appreciation

It would not do justice to this multi-talented personality if there is no mention of the honor’s he had received. Babuji magged the ‘Jeevan–Almulla Pravasi award’ in 2011 for the best art & cultural activist in the GCC. In 2015, he bagged the K.T. Muhammad award for the best Play director & Director in GCC. Babuji was honored with the Rossey–Oppan memorial award for the best Art & Cultural activist in GCC in 2017.Babuji’s contributions were recognised when the Dr. Palppu award for the best Social Activist in Kuwait was awarded to him in 2021.

The list of awards and recognitions Babuji received in his country is quite exhaustive and proves that he was no accidental leader but one who had been tirelessly working selflessly from his early years. Despite his active socio-cultural engagements, Babuji spends quality time with his family. He is happily married to Beena Paul and the couple have three children –Bibin Sam Thomas, Binitha Maria Thomas and Bijila Anna Thomas, who all support him in his humanitarian endeavours wholeheartedly.