Abdul Sattar: The Real Bajrangi Bhaijaan Who Sheltered a Foreign Girl with Humanity

It may sound surprising—why did Abdul Sattar, a Muslim, have the Gita instead of the Quran? The answer lies in an extraordinary story of compassion.

In 1997, an 8-year-old mute and deaf Indian girl named Radha accidentally crossed the Rajasthan border into Pakistan. There she was sheltered by Pakistani philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, who raised her like his own daughter for 13 years. His wife Bilquis Bano lovingly named her “Geeta.” With efforts from both countries, she was finally reunited with India in 2010 and met her mother in 2015.

Born in 1928 near Junagadh, Sattar migrated to Pakistan after Partition. In 1950, he founded the Edhi Foundation, which has grown into Pakistan’s largest welfare organization—running orphanages, hospitals, ambulances, shelters, and schools.

He was honored with Pakistan’s Nishan-e-Imtiaz, India’s Gandhi Peace Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and the Lenin Peace Prize. When he passed away on July 8, 2016, he even donated his corneas.

Abdul Sattar proved that humanity knows no boundaries of religion. He remains forever remembered as the Real Bajrangi Bhaijaan.