Some people are destined to be great; some make their own destiny ……
Born in an underprivileged family, struggle became not a part but a way of life. He surmounted it all and marched dauntingly to live a legendary life that cannot be replicated. He worked through his entire childhood. While his mornings spend in school, rest of the day passed in working in factories, guarding or tutoring to earn for livelihood. He graduated in Commerce and done his PG in Law. Even as a child he burnt in national spirit and participated in National Freedom movements. At the age of 12 years, he actively participated in ‘Quit India Movement’. He joined Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) at an early age and later???? was arrested and detained for six months in jail for promoting Satyagrah in 19--.
He started his political life from college and held the post of Secretary and President of Student Union. He was leading Income Tax lawyer, but his social interests pulled him into politics and he was elected MLA for the first time in 1967. Due to his selfless work, he was repeatedly elected four times and served a long time to his constituency. He was nominated President of Public Accounts Committee in 1980. He served the state as Opposition Leader and also as Cabinet Minister and held vital portfolios of health, housing, public contact, home, transport, jail, irrigation, Narmada Valley Development and Ayukta.
Shri Sahai took active part in health care & educational upliftment and social activity. In the drought in 1980 and also for the grave problem of water scarcity especially in far-flung peripheries and of Madhya Pradesh, he constructed many dams and tube wells to overcome the problem. Link Yojna is the proof of his futuristic vision, whereby multiple dams were built and rivers were interconnected to ensure uninterrupted supply to the farmers of the region.
He started various schools and colleges catering to the weaker sections of the society including Sharda Vidya Mandir, that pioneered quality English education for the backward society. Bhagwat Sahai Institute started as a 10-rooms college has now flourished in a renowned National Institute for Science and Arts. His relentless passion for development and a vision for future are exemplified in the long term project of Counter Magnet City, Gwalior. He also established training centers for carpet weavers at Datia and Gwalior.
Shri Shitla Sahai was elected as Secretary for Madhya Bharat Hindi Sahitya Sabha. His immense and valuable effort in raising the status of Music College led to its metamorphosis into one of its kind, National University. His penchant for preserving cultural heritage crystallized into Hassu Khan Haddu Khan Stadium, which is also the sole center for classical Khayal Music in India.
In 1971 Shri Shitla Sahai lost his only son due to deadly disease cancer. While getting treatment of his son at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, he touched with the various socio-economic problems which a common man faced in the absence of proper cancer care and treatment in his region. Instead of moaning over the aftermath, he took it upon himself to make the remote expensive care, cost effective and easily available and accessible at the doorstep to the common man of central India. He founded Jan Vikas Nyas and Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, Gwalior. Amidst strong critics and scarcity of funds, he started with his personal savings. By his humanitarian regards and strong will, he consolidated, coordinated and gained support from local government and generous donors. His ceaseless efforts resulted in recognition of the Institute, as the Regional Center for Cancer Treatment and Research in the year 1980, by Government of India.
Where once was a jungle, with now sprawls the campus of Cancer Hospital & Research Institute established with plush lawns, post building, halls of residence and the hospital supplying the most modern impeccable services at nominal prices to the public. With time, these services have multiplied and the hospital was equipped with Cobalt Machine, the very first in MP followed by MRI, the very first in Gwalior. Realizing the need of the patient’s relatives, Dharamshala was built in campus. Today hospital organizes camps, where the hospital team reaches out to remote and neglected areas not just in MP but also surrounding areas of UP and Rajasthan.
Parallel to these the hospital has undertaken various educational ventures and has acted host to many National and International conferences. College of Nursing began in 1992 with only diploma courses is now running graduate, postgraduate and post basic courses in the college. The students are well placed in the reputed Institutes of India and Abroad. In 1990, College of Life Sciences was started, offering undergraduate, postgraduate courses in Life Sciences. It also imparts various trainings programs and students are working there for their doctorate degree.
His clarity of vision & direction, commitment to the pursuit of social service, indigenous knowledge, ability to balance his responsibility as administrator, political & social worker made him accomplish such milestones & brought him amongst one of the most prominent social worker of the region.