Background

Calcutta Rescue grew out of the work of Dr Jack Preger, a British doctor, who in 1979 established a makeshift clinic on a pavement in Kolkata and began offering free medical treatment to the poor. Today the charity employs 150 local staff and serves 100,000 of Kolkata’s poor every year. Now in his 80's, Dr Jack is still active in the charity's work.

Dr Jack Preger was awarded the MBE in 1993 in recognition of his services to the poor of Kolkata.

Calcutta Rescue Fund, a UK registered charity (number 290917), was established in 1984 by former Calcutta Rescue volunteers in order to support the work of Calcutta Rescue in India. All the charity’s fundraising work is still carried out by volunteers: there are no paid staff in the UK.