Dominique Lapierre, who spoke Bengali fluently and was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2008, founded the City of Joy Foundation to rescue children suffering from leprosy from the slums of Kolkata. Set up in 1981, it was supported by the royalties from his many literary successes.Dominique Lapierre, who spoke Bengali fluently and was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2008, founded the City of Joy Foundation to rescue children suffering from leprosy from the slums of Kolkata. Set up in 1981, it was supported by the royalties from his many literary successes.