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Dr. Mabelle Arole (1935-1999)
Dr. Mabelle Arole was born
in Jabalpur, India in 1935. She was raised in a relatively
privileged family and was given the opportunity and
encouragement to develop her intellectual interests. Being one
of three children, she spent her childhood amongst books and
handicrafts. She was devoted to her father and spent much time
with him imbibing good values, spiritual understanding and
service to the poor. It was his wish that Mabelle would become a
doctor and help the poor, especially those persons affected by
leprosy in the underserved rural areas of India.
Dr. Mabelle’s own desire
was to become a physician and help those who were poverty
stricken. In 1959, she graduated from Christian Medical College,
Vellore, South India. It was here that she met her classmate and
future life partner, Dr. Raj Arole, who also shared her dream of
one day serving and uplifting the poorest of the poor. Together
they worked in the rural areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra
after graduating from medical college. During those years of
curative practice as popular and successful doctors, they
realized they still were not reaching the truly marginalized –
particularly women, children and the destitute poor.
 Not to miss a challenge
and to improve their skills, they had the opportunity to do
their residencies in medicine and surgery in the U.S. and their
masters of public health at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
It was here that they developed an action plan for a
community-based health and development project. In 1970, upon
their return to India, they ended up in the village of Jamkhed
in the state of Maharashtra to initiate the Comprehensive Rural
Health Project (CRHP). Today, this organization is
internationally renowned and considered to be a global model in
community-based health and development.
Dr. Mabelle was a very
special and determined woman who believed in perseverance and
excellence in whatever activity she undertook. She was a
proactive woman who could focus and follow her dreams and goals
in spite of sometimes extraordinarily difficult and adverse
circumstances. She had a great sense of humour and took it in
stride when people would refer to her as the “doctor’s wife” or
the young woman who may know “some medicine,” and whose
prescriptions would occasionally be taken to a young nurse for
approval! Such incidents reflected the low status of women that
is still pervasive throughout much of rural South Asia. This was
even more ironic when one realizes that she acquired many
academic awards in medical college including the title of
outstanding student for her year. A very humble and unassuming
person, Dr. Mabelle’s charm lay in her simplicity and sincerity.
Her patience, trust, and understanding with everyone are forever
remembered by all who crossed paths with Mabelle at some point
in life.
Over the years, as more
recognition was given to CRHP and the project was scaled up, Dr.
Mabelle was able to influence many prominent organizations as a
consultant and regional advisor to UNICEF/ROSA. These included
UNICEF, the WHO and various faith-based and secular NGOs working
in the field of global health and development. She was also a
visiting professor of international health at the Johns Hopkins
School of Public Health, along with Dr. Raj Arole.
A recipient of both
national and international awards, Mabelle always remained
accessible to people from all walks of life. Neither awards nor
praise took away from her simplicity or humility. She worked
untiringly for the cause of women and children and particularly
for their rights and health. In addition she was a strong
advocate for the rights of Dalits (low-caste) and tribals.
As a mother of two
children, Ravi and Shobha, she remained a very understanding and
outstanding mother who gave them deep values and standards to
live by. As a wife, she was a true soul mate to Dr. Raj.
Brilliant as she was, she had a childlike innocence and a warm
laugh that brought joy and love to many. Her optimism and
dependability are facets that each one of us could learn from.
Doctors for Global Health (DGH) founder and former president,
Lanny Smith, expresses the contribution that Mabelle made to DGH
as a member of their advisory council. Both Raj and Mabelle have
served on the DGH AC since 1998:
Click here to read the remembrance
Aparna Sahay, who visited CRHP in 1998, remembers Mabelle and
her vast contributions to the field of global health and
development:
Click here to read her thoughts (scroll to the bottom of
the page)
Read Mabelle's obituary on the CMC, Vellore website |
