Kolkata’s poor mourn the death of Dominique Lapierre
Even after “City of Joy” became a worldwide success, the French journalist who died yesterday at the age of 91 continued to support many projects for the poor by the missionaries he had met. In the slums, he found people “with a smile, a dignity, an ability to share and celebrate that I have never seen elsewhere.” He felt a close bond with Mother Teresa.
Kolkata (AsiaNews) – Dominique Lapierre, author of City of Joy, died yesterday in France at the age of 91.
For Irudhaya Jothi, an anti-poverty activist in West Bengal, including the Right to Food & Work Campaign, the contribution of the best-selling French writer “to the slum dwellers in Pilkana and other areas, and in a special way to the lepers, was life-giving for hundreds of poor.”
The famous book was the outcome a meeting between the journalist and some missionaries working among the lepers in the poorest neighbourhoods of Kolkata (then known as Calcutta).
The people included, most namely, an Anglican clergyman, Rev James Stevens, and members of the Prado Institute, a Catholic institute of consecrated life, in particular Fr Gaston Grandjean (who took the Indian name of Dayanand) and Fr François Laborde, mentioned to Lapierre by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
The book was only the start of long philanthropic involvement promoted by the writer. Speaking about the people he met in the slums, Lapierre said: “Although living in inhuman conditions, they do so with a smile, a dignity, an ability to share and celebrate that I have never seen elsewhere.”
City of Joy was a publishing success with 10 million copies sold worldwide and translations in 31 languages, but it was also a great show of solidarity.
Its proceeds funded 30 schools and rehabilitation centres, 540 water wells, a million vaccinations against tuberculosis, treatment for 15,000 leper children.
Lapierre and his wife continued the work from France with the association Action pour les enfants des lépreux de Calcutta.
“The poor looked at him as their messiah. CIty of Joy, one of the well-read books, highlighted the painful stories of slum dwellers,” anti-poverty activist Jothi said. “The slum dwellers in Kolkata will miss their friend and benefactor.”
Lapierre’s work will live on with the missionaries who inspired his novel and continue with groups like Udayan and Howrah South Point.
In addition to his great journalistic passion for people, Dominique Lapierre’s work in India was inspired by Mother Teresa.
“I always thought that the little nun was the greatest modern saint,” he said. “I pray to her every day, asking her to inspire me every morning in my small, tiny action, to protect me, to show me the way."
(Nirmala Carvalho contributed to this article)
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