Twenty‑Five Years Later: My Thoughts and Memories of the Kutch Earthquake

Twenty‑five years ago today, on 26th January 2001, Gujarat was shaken by an earthquake that changed my life forever.

Dhori epicenter 20km from Bhuj

This blog is my small tribute to all those who lost their lives, and to everyone whose lives were forever impacted by that tragic day.

I still remember the moment I felt the earthquake. I was at my home in Mandvi, tying the laces of my shoes and getting ready to travel to Bhuj, where I ran my IT company. Moments later, the ground shook with a force I had never felt before. Despite the confusion and fear, I decided to continue my journey.

When I reached Bhuj by bus, I saw a scene I will never forget. As the dust slowly settled, I stood there holding my breath, trying to understand how a few seconds had changed an entire city. People were calling out names. People were running. Everything felt broken.

In the middle of that chaos, a lady I had never met held my hand and asked, “Have you seen my little son? He was playing nearby.” I did not know her or her child, and I had no answer. But the fear and hope in her voice shook me deeply. It was the voice of a mother searching for her child in the middle of destruction.

Alongside the devastation, I saw something else: kindness. Strangers helping strangers, people searching together, comforting each other. Even in chaos, humanity showed up first.

In Bhuj, entire neighbourhoods had collapsed. Families sat beside what used to be their homes. Aftershocks kept shaking the ground. I also carried personal loss, one of my staff members died, a relative couple lost their lives, and my aunt died while helping others move to safety. The tragedy of schoolchildren in Anjar remains one of the most painful memories.

The memories of that day have stayed with me for 25 years. I have written before about resilience “story of personal resiliency”, “A decade after Gujarat Earthquake”, and created a short video, Memories of Gujarat Earthquake 2001. Yet even now, words feel too small to capture everything.

BAPS was among the first to stand with the people of Kutch in those critical hours. They immediately set up community kitchens, providing fresh, hot meals to tens of thousands of people every single day when families had nowhere else to turn, serving over 40,000 meals daily for the first 45 days.  But their service did not stop with emergency relief. BAPS played a major role in long‑term recovery, rebuilding homes, schools, villages, restoring livelihoods, and supporting families across more than 400 affected villages.

Connecting Past and Present

Today, I am in Morocco, far from Gujarat, yet surrounded by a feeling I know well. The courage of people rebuilding, the quiet strength after loss, and the hope that slowly returns.

By chance, or perhaps with a purpose I am only now beginning to understand, I am here with the IFRC team, supporting the Morocco Red Crescent more than two years after their own earthquake. Walking through these communities reminds me of Gujarat, and of how people rise, even when everything around them has fallen.

This anniversary is not only about remembering what we lost.
It is about honouring the resilience that carries us forward, no matter where we stand in the world.

There was human solidarity.

The story that is connected with me from there is of Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). From the very first days, the IRCS, supported by the IFRC, initiated organizing relief operations. A large operational base was set up in the compound of R.R. Lalan College in Bhuj, a place deeply personal to me, as it was the college where I had completed my graduation. Seeing it transformed into a humanitarian hub in the middle of a disaster felt touched, yet meaningful.

That campus quickly became a center of hope and coordination.

Thousands of volunteers came forward to join the Indian Red Cross response. Many were local young people who had never worked in disasters before yet stepped into service without hesitation. Together, they supported communities across multiple sectors, such as distribution of relief supplies, Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities, emergency shelter support, Health and care services, including the establishment of a temporary field hospital and education for children, setting up logistics and warehouse facilities to manage the flow of relief items. Hundreds of international delegates came with the IFRC and other Red Cross Red Crescent Partners to help the people in need, some came to Bhuj while some supported from the distance.

I remember volunteers guiding relief teams through damaged roads when maps were useless. I remember community members sharing food even when they had very little left. I remember elders insisting that assistance be given first to those who were worse off.

In the middle of loss, people were still thinking of others.

That was my first real lesson in humanitarian action, and it has stayed with me for 25 years:

Communities are not passive recipients of aid. They are the first responders, the organizers, and the foundation of recovery.

Humanitarian response then and now

In 2001, many of the systems we rely on today were still developing. Coordination was challenging, information was limited, and preparedness was not yet central to humanitarian planning. Much of the response depended on personal commitment, adaptability, and trust built in real time.

And yet, what made the biggest difference was not equipment or systems, it was people.

Volunteers who showed up every day. Local leaders who organized support fairly. Families who helped one another rebuild, step by step.

Twenty-five years later, humanitarian action has evolved. We now have stronger coordination mechanisms, better standards and accountability, greater focus on preparedness and risk reduction, more investment in strengthening National Societies and local institutions, and much more.

These improvements matter deeply. They save lives.

But the most important lesson I carry from Kutch has not changed:

Lasting humanitarian impact is only possible when local capacity is strong, supported, and trusted.

What still challenges us

Even with all our progress, we continue to face familiar questions:

• How do we better connect emergency response with long-term recovery and development?
• How do we ensure that local actors lead, rather than only implement?
• How do we move from short-term project thinking to sustained investment in institutions and volunteers?
• How can communities take responsibility for following the standards defined for earthquake resilience?

These are not only operational questions, but they are also choices about what kind of humanitarian system we want to build.

Gratitude, 25 years later

Today, I think of the people of Kutch with deep respect. Their resilience and dignity shaped my understanding of service more than any training ever could.

I think of the thousands of volunteers who stepped forward through the Indian Red Cross, and the collective effort supported by the IFRC and partners.

And I feel grateful that an experience born out of tragedy gave me a sense of purpose that continues to guide my work, especially in strengthening National Societies so they are ready before disasters strike and remain strong long after the emergency phase ends.

I believe the earthquake brought an enormous and unforgettable loss to the Kutchi community. Yet, what inspires me even today is how the people of Kutch rose from that tragedy with strength, dignity, and determination. They rebuilt their lives, their villages, and their future without ever looking back. Many who began their journey in the humanitarian response of 2001 have since grown into remarkable leaders, serving communities across India and around the world. Their commitment to humanity, shaped by their own lived experience, continues to make a powerful impact at national and international levels.

Kutchmitra has played an extraordinary role, both in the past and today. During the Bhuj Earthquake, they stood firmly with the people of Kutch, becoming one of the most trusted and essential sources of reliable information. At a time when communication was broken and confusion was everywhere, Kutchmitra helped families stay connected by sharing accurate updates, “people are safe” messages, and vital community news. Today, as they celebrate the 25th anniversary through Dhrujari, their commitment to the community continues—honouring the past while bringing people together to remember, reflect, and rebuild hope.

Looking ahead

Anniversaries are not only about remembering the past.
They are about renewing our commitment to the future.

As disasters become more frequent and complex, the lesson Kutch taught me in 2001 feels more relevant than ever:

Invest in people. Stand with communities. Build local institutions that last.

That is where real resilience begins.

As I look back on these 25 years, my heartfelt wish is that we continue to stand together—before, during, and after every disaster. Preparedness is not only the responsibility of the government; it is our shared duty. We cannot stop disasters, but we can definitely work to reduce the impact of them. Each of us has a role to play, and we are stronger when we work side by side. I hope we prepare, learn, and grow as one community. And I place my faith in our youth, walking hand in hand with our seniors, carrying forward the strength, wisdom, and resilience that have guided us this far. With new tools like AI helping us predict risks, strengthen early warnings, and support faster response, we have even more power to protect lives. Together, we can shape a future where fewer lives are lost and more lives are protected.

Lastly, my heartfelt gratitude goes to every individual and every organization — from India and across the world — who stood with the people affected by the 26 January 2001 earthquake. Your compassion turned despair into hope and reminded us that humanity has no borders.