Dana Majhi's story evokes empathy in Bahrain's king after country's PM donates money

Dana Majhi, the tribal man who decided to carry his wife’s dead body on his shoulders for a 64 km stretch from a hospital in Kalahandi to his village, after being denied a hearse, enraged the nation and to some extent, evoked a sense of pity and sympathy among the people. Talking to ANI, Majhi said that he had no money and the hospital authorities refused to help him. However, after walking for 13 km, some media people collected money to help him. He arranged for an ambulance with that money.

After walking for 13 km, some media ppl gave me money and then I could arrange for an ambulance: Dana Manjhi pic.twitter.com/xJYan4k0NK

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2016

The case didn’t stop there. Moved by his plight, it grabbed the attention of the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. As the incident made headlines and images of Majhi walking with the corpse went viral, the Prime Minister of Bahrain Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa sent a donation to the family. Majhi said that when he went to drop his daughters at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), the institute’s founder told him that the king wanted to meet him.

Came to drop my 3daughters at KISS,the founder informed that Bahrain's king wanted to meet me&covered my Embassy of Bahrain visit costs:Dana

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2016

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According to a report by Hindustan Times, he was at the embassy of Bahrain on Thursday to collect a cheque of Rs 8.87 lakh sent by the ruler. This cost was covered by the king, Majhi told ANI. Majhi was accompanied by one of his sobbing daughters during his long walk while carrying his wife’s body. His 12-year old daughter accompanied him till some local reporters spotted the duo and arranged for an ambulance. KISS has offered to provide education to his three daughters. It is a residential school for tribal children, reported The Times of India. KISS admitted the students after a number of tribal organisations of Kalahandi district, including Biswabasu Sabar Samaj, District Tribal Society requested the KISS authority to take educational responsibility of Majhi’s daughters. Bahrain’s empathy towards Majhi is not new or sudden. According to an earlier Firstpost piece, Bahrain’s PM Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa sent a donation to help Majhi. After reading about his plight in a local newspaper, Akhbaar Al Khaleej, the prince was so moved that “he could not just stand by and do nothing about such suffering.” Khalifa then contacted the Indian embassy in Bahrain and offered to make a donation.