He won many hearts, but lost battle to Covid

Surat: When people of his age preferred to stay indoors, he was out on the streets feeding hundreds of poor people and arranging food packets for the paramedical staff and policemen on duty during the lockdown, without fear of getting infected with Covid-19.
But on Sunday night, the 66-year-old textile trader and a social worker Kailash Dhut lost a 22-day-long battle against the deadly virus at a private hospital.
Dhut, a sari and dress material trader owing shop at the Millennium Market on Ring Road was always on the forefront and ensured that the poor do not sleep without food.
Dhut, who is survived by his wife, son and daughter-in-law, worked relentlessly during two months of lockdown under the banner of Dr Ambedkar Vanvasi Kalyan Trust and Maheshwari Samaj, for arranging food and ration kit for the poor and migrant workers.
A known personality in the textile circles, Dhut, played a pivotal role during the month-long protest by the textile traders against the goods and service tax (GST) in July 2017. Along with the Federation of Surat Textile Traders’ Association (FOSTTA), Dhut was spearheading the GST agitation and was involved in drafting letters to the Central government demanding the abolition of GST.
Champalal Bothra, secretary of FOSTTA told TOI, “We have lost a leader of Rajasthani Maheshwari Samaj and a dedicated social worker. His demise is a big loss to the traders’ fraternity. For us, Dhut was a real corona warrior, always ready to help the needy.”
Dhut was admitted to the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC)-run SMIMER hospital on July 14 after he complained of severe cough and fever, where he tested positive of Covid-19. In a day or two, Dhut was shifted to the Venus Hospital in Rampura and was put on oxygen support.
On July 30, Dhut celebrated his 66th birthday with the hospital staff and distributed sweets.
“I have seen his dedication and conviction in serving the poor during lockdown, be it distributing ration kits or homoeopathy medicines. Two days before he was hospitalised, he was in the field serving ayurvedic kadha,” said Nandkishore Sharma of Dr Ambedkar Vanvasi Kalyan Trust.