Mohammad Gulzar Saifi
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Gulzar Saifi is an India
n educator, community organizer and polio survivor in the north India
n city of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh
. He was the featured protagonist in the 2009 Academy Award-nominated documentary film, The Final Inch
. The short film profiles one of those stricken by polio; and in this way, the documentary establishes a context for global efforts to eradicate the paralysing illness.
Gulzar is a graduate in English from Meerut's Chowdhary Charan Singh University. In part, because of the celebrity status which attended the film, this teacher with a disability has come to earn a living by giving English lessons to about 60 children daily. Gulzar has learned the hard way
that "polio is not a disease, it’s a disaster for many ... I was lucky, I had a good family who looked after me but what about those who don’t, those who are abandoned? I appeal to everyone to get their child vaccinated against polio." The title The Final Inch refers to the fact that health officials say polio, which can paralyse a child for life within hours, is on the brink of being controlled.
There was comparatively little media coverage about The Final Inch in India, even as its people seemed obsessed with Oscar-front-runner Slumdog Millionaire
. However, articles in The Times of India
, Daily India and word-of-mouth in Meerut's Dibai Nagar area confirm that Saifi is the star of the documentary. Saifi's prominent role in the film has caused a dramatic change in his life; and when the film was included in the Oscar race, people were congratulating him with flowers and garlands.
Assessing on the film's potential impact, Meerut District's chief medical officer observed, "The sensitivity with which the film has been made is a sign of the earnestness of those involved in the polio eradication program. Gulzar's story is bound to be a lesson for many families ignoring polio vaccination. We really hope it works towards motivating that section of the society."
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n educator, community organizer and polio survivor in the north India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n city of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. He was the featured protagonist in the 2009 Academy Award-nominated documentary film, The Final Inch
The Final Inch
The Final Inch is a short documentary about the effort to eradicate polio. It was directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky and focuses on health workers who are on the front lines of the fight to eliminate the disease....
. The short film profiles one of those stricken by polio; and in this way, the documentary establishes a context for global efforts to eradicate the paralysing illness.
Gulzar is a graduate in English from Meerut's Chowdhary Charan Singh University. In part, because of the celebrity status which attended the film, this teacher with a disability has come to earn a living by giving English lessons to about 60 children daily. Gulzar has learned the hard way
Lessons learned the hard way
Learning the hard way refers to the educational results developed in the process of living life, the perspective gained as a result of trial and error—more often used in reference to the mistakes, mis-steps and misunderstandings which lead to better judgment....
that "polio is not a disease, it’s a disaster for many ... I was lucky, I had a good family who looked after me but what about those who don’t, those who are abandoned? I appeal to everyone to get their child vaccinated against polio." The title The Final Inch refers to the fact that health officials say polio, which can paralyse a child for life within hours, is on the brink of being controlled.
Documentary
The title of the documentary film The Final Inch refers to the fact that polio, which can paralyse a child for life within hours, is on the brink of being eliminated—thanks to mass immunisation, the world is mere "inches" from achieving that ultimate achievable goal. Eradication of worldwide polio has attracted attention, but "getting rid of the last 1 percent has been like trying to squeeze Jell-O to death."There was comparatively little media coverage about The Final Inch in India, even as its people seemed obsessed with Oscar-front-runner Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
. However, articles in The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
, Daily India and word-of-mouth in Meerut's Dibai Nagar area confirm that Saifi is the star of the documentary. Saifi's prominent role in the film has caused a dramatic change in his life; and when the film was included in the Oscar race, people were congratulating him with flowers and garlands.
Assessing on the film's potential impact, Meerut District's chief medical officer observed, "The sensitivity with which the film has been made is a sign of the earnestness of those involved in the polio eradication program. Gulzar's story is bound to be a lesson for many families ignoring polio vaccination. We really hope it works towards motivating that section of the society."
External links
- "Academy Award recognition for India’s fight to eradicate polio," UNICEF. February 18, 2009.