“Cama’s convictions”

Born and brought up in the lap of luxury, Rusi Cama’s heart always bled for the poor, the needy and disabled. He helped people readily and generously. One instance will bear it out.

Outside The Bom­­­bay Sama­char building a young boy crip­pled by polio used to beg for money. Every mor­n­ing around 11 a.m. when Cama got out of his car he would give something to the boy. One day he approached the boy and told him sternly, "How long do you want to live on begging?” The boy pointed towards his legs. Cama immediately said, "That should not come in the way of your life. Think of something and see me after that.” One afternoon a few days later the crippled boy climbed up the stairs on all fours and entered Cama’s cabin, stating, "Sir, if I have a weighing machine I can sit in a corner and people would come to have their weight checked.” Cama immediately got him a weighing machine and forgot all about it.

Years later, as he parked his car at a street corner and got out, he saw a person in a wheelchair approaching him hurriedly. With profuse gratitude he thanked Cama and reminded him how he had changed his life. From the weighing machine the boy had got other ideas and opened a small shop.

A keen sportsman all his life, Cama believed in giving a sporting chance to anybody who was willing and in rendering help to those written off by society.

JEHAN DARUWALLA