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Pacific People of the Year Pacific People of the Year

of what I do. My support system has been my father, mother, teams of doctors, specialists, dentists and pharmacists
wife and my two daughters who have allowed me to dream to provide free consultations and medications to Fiji’s
and pursue this dream.” devastated rural population. It was around then that the
Sumeet’s desire is to “propagate goodness” through his idea of providing heart surgery for children came about. The
music, as well as use it to help charities and social service Chairman of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children's Hospital
institutions all over the world. in India, Dr C Sreenivas, asked Krupali about the extent of
“Music and philanthropy is not what I do. It is who I congenital heart disease among children in Fiji and offered
am. Fortunately or unfortunately, I am a perfectionist to send an international team of surgeons. It was a turn of
and I challenge myself to become better every single day. events that would prove to be life-changing for Krupali.
This mindset of ‘continuous improvement’ and ‘pursuit of “I had moved to Australia in 2008 and had no plans of
perfection’ drives me to think outside the box and to push returning to Fiji. Due to this NGO [Sai Prema Foundation], I
boundaries beyond my means and capabilities. I often fail and moved back to Fiji to give back to my country of birth. This
fall down; but I pick myself up, brush off the wears and tears, decision was difficult at that time, but I am so grateful that
and I keep walking. I often tell myself that I need to be like I took this opportunity as my life has a lot more meaning and
the ‘matrix’, every time I fall, I must jump to newer heights. purpose. Despite the monumental struggles which present
So, this mindset has allowed me to venture into very diverse itself daily, the smiles on the faces of the children and parents
activities.” make it worthwhile. There is no monetary value one can put
The Sai Prema Foundation Fiji, a charitable organisation, upon the relief of a mother who has the opportunity for her
was launched in Fiji in 2016 to serve the poor and the baby to live, grow and prosper in her arms.”
underprivileged. Sumeet’s father, Mahendra Tappoo, is The Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Screening
Chairman of the Board of trustees and his mother, Maya Centre is the first children’s heart screening centre in the
Tappoo is a founding trustee. An international advisory board South Pacific, having given more than 13,000 children free
includes Fijian rugby legend, Waisale Serevi and Indian heart screenings.
religious figure, Sadhguru Sri Madhusan Sai, who inspires The vision for the hospital continues to grow.
the Tappoos with his global mission of serving humanity in “Going forward, we would like to have a permanent team
healthcare, education, nutrition and social service initiatives. of medical professionals in our hospital and also train more of
In the very year it was launched, the Foundation jumped our local medical professionals so that one day we will have
headfirst into the chaos caused by Cyclone Winston in 2016, a local team who can look after our children. The hospital
the most intense tropical cyclone in the Southern hemisphere would also like to be involved with research in the future, so
on record, affecting 62% of Fiji’s population with damage that we can find out what causes congenital heart disease and
estimated at FJ$2 billion (US$89 million). The charity took how we can prevent it,” says Krupali.

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