Abdul Sattar Edhi (Urdu: عبدالستار ایدھی; 28 February 1928[10] – 8 July 2016)[1][2][3][11] was a Pakistani philanthropist, ascetic, and humanitarian who founded the Edhi Foundation, which runs the world’s largest volunteer ambulance network,[12] along with homeless shelters, animal shelter,[13] rehabcentres, and orphanages across Pakistan.[14]After his death, the Edhi Foundation is run by his son Faisal Edhi.NILPPGPA
Abdul Sattar Edhi
عبدالستار ایدھی
Born28 February 1928[1][2]Bantva Manavadar, Gujarat, India[1]Died8 July 2016(aged 88)[3]
Karachi, Sindh, PakistanResting placeEdhi Village, KarachiNationalityPakistaniOther namesAngel of Mercy[4]
The Richest Poor Man[5]
[6]بابائے خدمتKnown forSocial work
Simple lifestyle
Humanitarian[7]Spouse(s)Bilquis EdhiAwardsLenin Peace Prize(1988)
Nishan-e-Imtiaz(1989)
Wolf of Bhogio Peace Award (2005), Italy[8][9]WebsiteOfficial website
Born in Bantva, Gujarat, India in 1928, Edhi moved to Karachi where he established a free dispensary for Karachi’s low-income residents. Edhi’s charitable activities expanded in 1957 when an Asian flu epidemicswept through Karachi. Donations allowed him to buy his first ambulance the same year. He later expanded his charity network with the help of his wife Bilquis Edhi.[14][15]
Over his lifetime, the Edhi Foundationexpanded, backed entirely by private donations, which included establishing a network of 1,800 minivan ambulances. By the time of his death, Edhi was registered as a parent or guardian of nearly 20,000 children.[2]He is known as Angel of Mercy and is considered to be Pakistan’s “most respected” and legendary figure.[4][16] In 2013, The Huffington Post claimed that he might be “the world’s greatest living humanitarian”.[17]
Edhi maintained a hands-off management style and was often critical of the clergy and politicians.[18] Edhi was a strong proponent of religious tolerance in Pakistan and extended support to the victims of Hurricane Katrinaand the 1985 famine in Ethiopia.[19][20] Edhi was nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize, including by Malala Yousafzai.[21][22] Edhi received several awards including Gandhi Peace Award, Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize and the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize.[23]
