Bipinbhai Ganatra (born c. 1957) is an electrician based in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He is also an unofficial volunteer firefighter and was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards in 2017 for helping fight fires in the city.
As a child, Bipinbhai would rush after fire engines when he heard them and would start helping the firemen when he reached the scene of the fire. In 1982, Bipinbhai, then only 12 years old, lost his elder brother Narendra to a freak fire accident which occurred when a spark fell on fuel that his brother was handling while working on a motorcycle. His brother was admitted to hospital and succumbed to his injuries a little over a month later.
Bipinbhai, originally from Gujarat, has been offering his services as a fireman in the city of Kolkata, whose firefighting force of 1,258 firemen battled some 2,000 fires in 2014 and 1,600 fires in 2015. He is an electrician by trade and earns a meager salary, borrowing from his friends to make ends meet. He also helps the police manage traffic.
Though Bipinbhai does not have any formal training in firefighting, he started out by helping firefighters do odd jobs but now has risen to the level of a professional firefighter. Since over 40 years, Bipinbhai has assisted in more than 100 fires, working to put out the flames, rescue victims, and clear away debris. One of his most dramatic rescues was of a pregnant woman trapped on the fifth floor of a burning building. The woman was too scared to move, so Bipinbhai scaled the building to reach her and convince her to come down. Bipinbhai has suffered injuries several times while helping put out flames, and also risked his life to extract two unexploded cylinders from a burning warehouse on Strand Road.
Bipinbhai monitors the television news constantly and informs the fire department if a fire breaks out. Despite his contributions to the force, he travels modestly to the site by himself using public transport. In recognition of his efforts, the fire department has given him a rare steel volunteer card and a khaki uniform.
It is indeed a matter of immense pride for our Lohana community to have a real-life hero amongst us, inspiring both young and old generations alike. Shree Lohana Mahaparishad salutes the dedication, sacrifice and selfless service of Shri Bipinbhai Tanna and wishes him a healthy and happy life. May Bipinbhai continue to serve the society and be a ray of hope in times of uncertainty and emergencies!
