Leading the lost, like him

An addict in the past, Smart helps people recover and re-enter society with the help of his rehab centre Santulan

Dwijen Praveen Smart has covered the distance from sympathy to empathy and back. A recovering addict himself, the 57-year-old has noticed the social stigma an addict faces and founded Santulan, an open rehabilitation centre about five years ago. Santulan, running from a small room in Gokhale Nagar and having 23 patients, provides treatment for free. Given the high relapse rates, these inmates cannot afford the fees charged by rehab centres in the city.

“People are mindful of a sleeping dog on the streets, but walk over a drunkard. The society discriminates, loathes and dismisses addicts as people who cannot be helped,” said Smart, who lives, works and thrives with recovering addicts whom he calls his fellowship.

He said, “At Santulan, we look at people as human first and then as a sick human.” Santulan works on three stages — detoxification, vocational rehabilitation where they bring their patients back into mainstream life, and holding workshops for patient’s co-dependents. The centre also runs workshops and events to spread awareness about addiction as a disease of emotions and the substance as only a symptom.

“Our work model uses a patient’s skill for their rehab. Be it painting, craft or cooking. Only their skill can help them recover. They sell craft at stalls, supply food, run errands and even do day jobs during their time at the centre. This is how Santulan funds its operations,” he said. Smart also runs a professional rehabilitation centre at Yerawada called Renaissance. While this isn’t a free model, it helps him sustain Santulan. Residents of Santulan cook and supply meals to everyone at Renaissance. “All the patients and staff eat the food cooked at Santulan. My wife and two kids too eat the same food.” Santulan was started a year before Renaissance was established. While patients pay at one and not at the other, they lead the same principles. Their goal is to create self-sufficient productive citizens of the society.

DARK DAYS

Addicted to alcohol at 14, Smart, an optometrist, experienced relapse 25 times and was an addict for about 17–18 years. Life had almost given up on him when he moved to Pune from Surat in 1996. He was a divorcee and bankrupt living on the streets of Pune before his father, an exporter, admitted him to Muktangan. He was a patient for about eight months and started working as a staff for a year and a half. He went on to work as the Regional Support Officer for the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Later, he fell in love and married Shilpa Smart. Life was difficult for the couple as they moved on with familial responsibilities. He tried many businesses but wasn’t satisfied with the endeavours before they started a tiffin service.

“Shilpa used to make chapattis and I helped her. We packed and supplied tiffins. I am doing what I am because of my wife,” he said about Shilpa who manages the accounts and networking for Santulan and Renaissance as Smart looks at administration and clinical tasks.

Smart’s team comprises industry experts and recovering drug addicts. His deputy and manager at Satulan is Anand Waghmare, who became paralysed and bankrupt because of addiction. With no boards, signs, websites or doctors recommending Santulan, the centre believes in word-of-mouth publicity and does not ask for donations or give commissions to doctors.

“The day I am satisfied my work will stop. So, no, I am not satisfied, I never will be. My dream is to create an umbrella that provides all sorts of services related to de-addiction. I want to create treatment models for women, children, poor, middle-class, upper class, for everyone. Smita wants to design a de-addiction MBA programme. De-addiction is a thankless job but I will never shut Santulan. Who would believe that a divorcee on the road would marry a double graduate and have two children who dream of being great cricketers.”

Leading a life that is an inspiration for his fellow beings, Smart and his family is a symbol of faith in humanity.

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Originally published on The Golden Sparrow