The family of Sabanathan Chitsabesan, who died peacefully at home aged 73, have asked friends and relatives to make donations to an orphanage in Zambia, in his memory.
Dr Chitsabesan visited the Ebenezer Home in Zambia last year and had hoped to volunteer there before he died. His daughter Prathayini Wright, 42, said donations were also welcome to be made to the Born Free Foundation for Wildlife in her father’s memory.
Dr Chitsabesan, known as Chibby, was a GP in Bradford from 1979 until he retired at 65. He grew up in Sri Lanka, before moving to South Yorkshire in 1976.
Three years later he moved to Bradford where he worked as a GP at a practice in Oak Lane, in Manningham, eventually taking over before it moved to a new building in St Paul’s Road, in Manningham.
Mrs Wright, who lives in Wiltshire, said: “He had time for everybody.
“He also had three generations of families who were his patients and you hear about how he would go visit them when he didn’t need to, just to see how they were. We have had phone calls and messages of condolences from around the world.
“It’s only every so often you come across a person who has that special quality, anybody who met him was touched by him.”
Dr Chitsabesan, of Roundwood, Nab Wood, Shipley, was married to Ranjini and had five children and three grandchildren. The family have asked friends and family to make donations to the two causes in his memory, instead of sending flowers.
His daughter said: “He was loving, had an infectious smile, a wicked sense of humour and he was a wonderful father and an inspiration to all of us.
“A fantastic loving grandfather, he could relate to people on all levels, adults and children, and he will be missed. He will live on in his children and his grandchildren – we will never ever forget him.”
A service and cremation will take place at Nab Wood Crematorium, in Bingley Road, Shipley, from 10.15am on Saturday. A website has also been set up with tributes at chibby.101mb.com.
He died at home on Wednesday, April 28.
[Bradford Telegraph and Argus]
MHSRIP.
Thanks Mrs Wright for the for thinking of the less privilidgeg.I pray that Dr Sabanathan’s donations will be put to good use.
Thanks for the Chitsabesan’s family. Hope people wont abuse these donations/funds as they did with Mwanawasa grant as though he owed them a living. They really behaved like Kapoko and The Best Lodge guys.
#2 I meant mwanawasa funeral “grant” France govt paid for all the expenses but our crooks are claiming to have footed all the cost incurred during the national mourning time.
It is now 2013 and I have just discovered Doctor Chitsabesan’s death. Dr Chitsabesan examined me in July 1998 and told me he thought I had cancer. I took the alternative path and recovered. I wish Dr Chitsabesan could have done the same.
Dr Chitsabesan was a very compassionate doctor for whom I had a great deal of respect.
I am so sorry to learn that he passed away in 2010. Thanks for posting his photograph. I know Dr Chitsabesan was a very devout follower of the late Sai Baba and I hope that he has found a fortunate rebirth.