The documentary traces the vision of Assam’s real life hero, Haji Ajmal Ali, who set up a modern hospital in one of the remotest part of Assam.

At an impressive ceremony in Guwahati, noted film maker Mahesh Bhatt launched his latest documentary ‘Torchbearer’. The documentary traces the vision of one of Assam’s real life hero, Haji Ajmal Ali, who set up a modern hospital in one of the most backward and remotest part of the State.

“I was taken aback when this octogenarian, Haji Ajmal Ali, told me about his vision of creating a society free of infant and maternal mortality, where no one dies of any treatable ailments,” Mahesh Bhatt said. The hospital that he created has over the years helped hundred of thousands people, especially pregnant women, who used to die as hapless victims of maternal mortality.

“Haji Ajmal Ali is a real life hero,” Bhatt said and added: “I am known to have provided a number of stars to the film industry but now I feel as if I am honouring myself by bringing the life and vision of a legendary hero who was simply lost in the crowd, to the people.”

Bhatt’s new documentary film Torchbearer, which he has been promoting with the same passion as he does in case of the feature films, presents rags to riches story of Haji Ajmal Ali’s life, who at one point of time was an ordinary farmer in Assam.

“What struck me most about the man, was his sympathy with the suffering of people,” says Bhatt, adding that “it was the death of four pregnant women in one week that moved Haji Ajmal Ali so much that he decided to make the hospital when he didn’t even have one per cent resources to construct it and yet over the years, he spent crores and crores of rupees to save people’s life and spreading awareness about health issues. So the least I could have done is to make a film on him to let him be known to the rest of the world.”

Started as a dilapidated dispensary in 1986 for distribution of free medicines to poor patients in Hojai, the Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Hospital & Research Centre (HAMMH) is now considered one of the most modern rural hospitals not only in Assam but across the country and in the entire south-east Asia region. Since it’s inauguration by Mother Teresa and the then chief minister the late Hiteswar Saikia on September 16, 1995, over 1.5 million people have benefited from the charitable services of this 125-bed hospital, which is now in the process of being converted in to what will be first rural medical college in Assam.

The 24-minute documentary has been directed by Bhatt’s blue-eyed boy Ajay Kanchan, who is already an acclaimed short and documentary film maker in his own rights. He and his mentor Mahesh Bhatt have combined to produce some superb documentaries before this venture. Kya Hum Gulam Hi Rehenge on Gujarat riots and Beginning of Life in 2004 centered on Nagaland and its situation were both highly acclaimed works by this duo.

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