Meet Mr Dattatreya Mahendale, a multifaceted Puneite. He has attempted and succeeded in doing things that most people would not dream of undertaking.  In 1972, he climbed and descended the Parvati hills forty times continuously. It took him a good five hours. A yoga enthusiast, he has won an award for doing 135 Suryanamaskars, the scientific way, in an hour's time.

For the last 7 years, he has been an active participant of the 'Palki celebration' where he walks the entire 240 Km. stretch from Alandi  to Pandarpur. There's more. He has participated in every marathon race organised in the city, has undertaken the arduous climb to Vaishnodevi temple in Jammu, has succeeded in touching Mount Everest base camp, is an ardent advocate of cycling as a mode of transport and, hold your breath, happens to have donated blood 180 times!

What is it that prompts this retired employee of a chemical industry to engage in so many diverse activities?
"I have always been fitness conscious, and have climbed hills and participated in marathons just to check my stamina and fitness levels," he enthuses. And what about donating blood? "Purely as social work. I have absolutely no intentions of breaking records and getting my name into the Guinness book," he says earnestly.

It is close to forty years since Mr Mehendale donated blood for the first time at the urging of his elder sister. "It was 1962, the war with China was being fought aggressively, and all of us were full of zeal to do something, if not for the country like our valiant soldiers, at least for others." He has been hooked on to the cause of donating blood 4-5 times a year ever since - and every year for the last forty years. In fact, on every occasion, since his tenth donation, he has succeeded in getting at least one person to donate blood along with him. Thanks to his active campaigning, five of his friends have also donated blood more than a hundred times. Mr Mehandale thinks it's really no big deal and feels that any healthy individual between the ages of 18-60 years can and more importantly, must donate blood. "After all," he explains, "the 300 ml of blood one donates is restored, as the body is capable of generating the lost amount in a few days. "And," he continues fervently, "one can in a matter of two and a half months, safely donate once again". Yet, Mr Mehandale finds very few people wanting to donate on a regular basis. Mr Mehendale rues the general apathy towards this noble deed. "Most people wake up when a close relative is in need of blood. Even then, they are reluctant to donate themselves and look out for others to donate," he sighs.

August 6th, 2000 was an eventful day for Mr Mehandale. On this day he donated blood for the last time - 180th time to be precise. A week later, he was to turn 60 and was aware that, as per the rules, he would not be considered as a donor.
As a sign of appreciation, his family, friends and well wishers rallied around him, and close to 183 people chose to join him during his momentous 'last time'.

'Last time', notwithstanding, Mr Mehandale continues to campaign relentlessly to clear misconceptions that surround blood donations.

'No one should die for want of blood
None should die without donating blood'

It is to Mr Mehandale's credit that he has taken the above slogan of the Maharashtra Association of Blood Banks completely to heart.

-Shabari Shetty