This 26th January ( 2026), today, is the 25th Anniversary of the disastrous earthquake in Kutchha, Gujarat , that killed over 20, 000 people ( my recollection is 10,000 but Google puts it at 20,000. May be I am confusing with the Latur figure) , destroyed and damaged over 950 villages and badly affected 4 cities of the state.

Memory is still vivid. How we rushed out from home; were pushed away from the nearby overhead water tank in Shyamay 2 where we stayed; ran to see destroyed Manasi tower and Shikhar apartment; stayed glued to a rescue operation , in anticipation, fear and horror, where a rescue team was trying to locate Birju’s friend, son of a friend, who was trapped in debris; and listened to news and saw images of mayhem all around. Also, saw a flood of emergency relief help pouring in from all over the country and the world. It also locked, almost next three years , in earthquake reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery efforts. Before i list here briefly, from memory, a few works we engaged in , feel an urge to share two incredible and can- never- forget-incidents, one far, one near; one of human hope and resilience and the other of personal commitment and deep rooted honesty.

A few days after the quake I saw an old man repairing, single handedly, his damaged roof somewhere near Bhuj. He had lost some 8 members of the family in the quake. He on the roof and I on the ground, we conversed for a few minutes. “With this horrible tragedy, what makes you do, gives energy and motivation , for this repair work?’ I asked. ‘ They are gone, I must live’. Also to tell Bhagwan ( God) that my family is yet not fully destroyed, i am still alive’ . I have lost the photos. But the memory, spirit of defiance, anger against nature’s justice and compulsions of life, are still vivid.

In the early part of the day, an engineer colleague, working with ASAG for years, walks in at my home with his wife. Tells me he had come to seek guidance and take permission. He says an agency wanting to work in rehabilitation housing in Kutchh villages wanted to hire him for almost three times the salary ASAG was giving him. “ Should I accept?’ he asked hesitatingly. His wife added, “ He will take it, only if you agree”. I asked him to run to take it. What commitment! What value of relationship!

Here is what i remember what we did in three years after the disaster.

1. Managed a reconstruction program of 10,000 houses in 140 villages through association with 13 NGOs.KFW, the German development bank, put in money through HDFC.
2. Designed and got constructed an education campus in Bhuj and a Hostel in Bhachau.
3. Set up HOLSAA –Home Losers’ Service Association of Ahmedabad—to work with the families whose buildings/apartments were damaged or destroyed in the city. What was special in its structuring was not only the home losers were included, also those who wanted to help them—the service providers. Two things remain fresh in memory. HOLSAA did not have any funds or did not spend any money on anything ,but played a crucial role in organising the home losers as a collective, negotiating rehabilitation packages with the state government and helping in other areas such as insurance claim, reconstruction housing designs, etc. Was surprised to find that apartment residents wanted to use the same plans—of the destroyed/damaged buildings– for the new buildings that were to be constructed. The second memory is the volunteer strength. Many helped. The most efficient and creative organiser was Shrikant Shah, a Chartered Accountant, who put aside his practice for the work and was responsible for much of the momentum.
4. Wrote a 15 page letter to the chief minister of Gujarat outlining “ A 20 Point Disaster Reconstruction Strategy” using my learning from the work in Latur earthquake. It also argued for ” people building their own houses “. It would be wrong to take credit for the 4 lakh houses that got constructed in that manner, for the earthquake victims, as Gujarat government was pro-active and wise. However, I have little doubt that the letter was the early first to articulate that strategy in some detail and reaching it to the head of the government, who was taking a large number of decisions everyday ( the earthquake happened on 26 January. The letter was sent on 1st March) . While arguing for what subsequently got known as the “owner driven housing “ it recommended a decentralised approach and each family building its own house strategy, without contractors and with the government playing a facilitator role. I used the same argument –experience and conviction based on Gujarat strategy—while working with GoI ‘s 50,000 houses program in Sri Lanka. 90 percent of those houses have been constructed by the project clients, without any contractor and with the planned, systematic facilitation.
5. Designed a number of small school buildings for the affected villages.
6. Participated in the government created committee to oversee disaster reconstruction. Prof Alag headed it . Cannot recall what happened but I do remember it being pro-active and influential. It was quite a learning exposure.
7. Learned from many—from international experts, who came to advice; colleagues like Rajendrabhai and Rupalben who worked on retrofitting and mason training; and Abhiyan, whose multiple efforts and initiatives are unmatched anywhere in their ‘people orientation’, co-working , partnership building and reconsruction housing. Also learned to appreciate government effort , which was creative, prepared to listen, pro-active and sensitive. This note is in response to a friend who called today morning to ask what i remembered of the earthquake 2001. I thought i would share it little more widely.