page_title: Abhay and Rani Bang
section_title: Personal life and background
hierarchical_section_title: Abhay and Rani Bang / Personal life and background
caption_attribution_description: English: Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang along with their younger son Amrut at SEARCH, Gadchiroli
context_page_description: Abhay Bang and Rani Bang are Indian social activists and researchers working in the field of community health in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, India. They have revolutionized healthcare for the poorest people in India and have overseen a programme that has substantially reduced infant mortality rates in one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the world. The World Health Organization and UNICEF have endorsed their approach to treating newborn babies and the programme is currently being rolled out across India and in parts of Africa. The Bangs founded the 'Society For Education, Action and Research in Community Health' – a non-profit organisation, which is involved in rural health service and research. The couple is the winner of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award. Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow has conferred honorary doctorates on Abhay and Rani Bang. SNDT Women's University, Mumbai has also awarded Honoris Causa to Rani Bang. The Lancet has honoured the couple as 'the pioneers of health care in rural India'.
context_section_description: Abhay Bang was born at Wardha, Maharashtra, India in 1950 to Thakurdas Bang and Suman Bang. His parents were followers of the Sarvodaya movement which was inspired by Gandhian thoughts. His father, a young economist, went to Mahatma Gandhi to seek his blessings when he was about to go to the United States for his doctoral studies. Gandhi looked at him for few seconds, then said, "Young man, if you want to study economics, go to the villages of India" Thakurdas cancelled his planned voyage, and remained in India to study the economics of Indian villages.
  Abhay spent his childhood in Gandhi's Sevagram Ashram at Wardha with Mahatma Gandhi's foremost disciple Acharya Vinoba Bhave. Until ninth standard, he studied in a school which followed the tenets of Nai Taleem (a method of practical hands-on Education) as propagated by Gandhiji.
  When Abhay was 13-years-old, he and his elder brother Ashok, who was 16 years old, would have discussions on what they should do with their lives. Ashok Bang decided to work for issues related to farming and Abhay decided to work for the health of villagers.
  Rani Bang (formerly Rani Chari) was born in Chandrapur. She belonged to a family with strong commitment both to medical service and, in her grandparents' generation, to public service. Abhay and Rani completed their graduation and post graduation in medical studies from Nagpur University. When Abhay was studying for final year exam of MBBS at Nagpur, he read an incident about Gandhi where Gandhi was very careful regarding use of natural resources. After reading the incident Abhay decided to use resources carefully. He switched off the fan in his room. He thought that he should be able to live without fan. He did not use the fan for next five years during his education even in the heat of Nagpur.
  Abhay and Rani married in 1977. Both of them have secured MPH (Masters in Public Health) from Johns Hopkins University. Anand Bang is their elder son and Amrut Bang is their younger son.
caption: Abhay and Rani Bang, along with their younger son Amrut
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