Dosapati - man who spent Rs 50 lakh, sacrificed buying dream house to help needy people

In the fearful months of the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, several stories of migrant workers and homeless and jobless poor labourers getting ruined because of the lockdown emerged. The condition of the needy people was really desperate and it is this situation that saw the emergence of amazing philanthropists. One other such emotionally very moving story is that of Ramu Dosapati, an HR executive in a Corporate firm, reported Business Insider. He is from the southern state of Telangana’s capital city Hyderabad.

Another personality who has been in the spotlight is Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who helped out with cash and kind to provide all the necessities required to get them home safe and sound. 

Dosapati, an HR executive in a Corporate firm, has been running a 'Rice ATM' - a 24× 7 supply of rice and other rations for the needy in Hyderabad since April 2020. Over the months, Dosapati claims to have spent money worth more than Rs 50 lakh out of his own pocket and had no intentions of claiming it back.

How did it all begin?

It all began just after a month of the Lockdown. It was his son's birthday, Dosapati's younger son wanted to have chicken. He went to the nearest shop to buy chicken; only to find someone buying chicken worth Rs 2000.

Dosapati said that “I was quite surprised as to why this lady is buying so much chicken. When I asked her I got to know she was buying it as a treat for migrant workers sheltered nearby, who had run out of food. When I asked her about her salary, she said it was Rs 6000. That made me think that if a lady with Rs 6000 salary can spend Rs 2000 on the needy, why can’t I do the same?”

After a few days, Dosapati went to the site to see those migrant workers and made a list of 192 people who needed ration and other necessary items. He said that “There were people who wanted to go back to their hometowns by walking over 400-500 kms, I asked them to stay back and told them I would help them out.”

He started out on an initial Rs 150,000 from his savings to feed the needy, but the money could only buy ration for a few days. More and more people started coming and asking for help as the name 'Rice ATM' started spreading across other nearby areas. He said that “Then I went to the local kirana store owner and requested him to lend out ration on my word. I broke my provident fund and showed him the receipt for the same, assuring him that the money would come to me and I would pay him”.

Dosapati even gave up his 3BHK dream to feed the needy people and help them:

Dosapati, who currently lives with his wife and two sons in a 1 BHK home, wanted to buy a 3BHK. He had even selected a 3 BHK and sold land in his ancestral village for Rs 38.5 lakh.

He gave up on the 3BHK house and instead directed the money to helping out more people, even when floods struck Hyderabad.

Over a period of time, there has been an excellent of support from other groups and people to help him in his initiative, which Dosapati is extremely grateful for. 

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It’s been over 250 days since Dosapati has been running this initiative to help the needy people.