Roll Kaku of Kolkata
GetBengal had reported about Kolkata’s Roll Kaku Pathikrit Saha, two years ago. And now this food delivery man who has been the favourite Roll Kaku of several street children has successfully set up Helpp, an NGO whose efforts have been finally recognized by food safety watchdog FSSAI. Saha has been conferred ‘Extra (S)miles and Bravery’ Award for his exemplary work. And now he is frantically looking for a space where he can set up a permanent school for the underprivileged children who lovingly call him Roll Kaku.
‘Roll Kaku’ or an uncle who offers egg rolls. As he puts in: ‘We often order a lot of fancy food online but often end up cancelling the order eventually. These cancelled orders are generally given away to delivery guys. I started distributing these cancelled orders, as a delivery guy, mostly chicken and egg rolls, biriyani and other dishes that fall under cancelled orders.’
It all started when a 6-year-old Budho approached him for alms on the Dumdum station complex, some eight years ago. Saha bought an egg roll for him. More hungry station kids gathered around and Saha began feeding them all. Soon, he earned the nickname — ‘Roll Kaku’ or an uncle who offers egg rolls. As he puts in: ‘We often order a lot of fancy food online but often end up cancelling the order eventually. These cancelled orders are generally given away to delivery guys. I started distributing these cancelled orders, as a delivery guy, mostly chicken and egg rolls, biriyani and other dishes that fall under cancelled orders.’
Pathikrit takes them and gives them to the underprivileged children. But not just feeding, he decided to do the whole work in a bigger format, to educate the children and organized a street school along the Dumdum Cantonment area. Though he earns not a big sum, yet he feeds and tutors more than 50 children. Initially, feeding kids was no problem for Saha, as the food app allowed him to take cancelled orders home. Then a new food-return policy kicked in, but Saha defied it and seldom gave back any unclaimed food to the restaurants. ‘I never had the fear of losing a job. And if it happens because of feeding these hapless kids, I won't mind. Despite tough hours and low salary, I never quit the food delivery job,’ he added.
Saha did receive some good Samaritans too and their Facebook pages such as ‘helppindia’ ‘rollkaku’ and ‘sahapathikrit’ is now helping them to carry their work to a larger audience. Even the food safety watchdog FSSAI recognised Helpp’s effort.
Now to get more funds in and reach out to a bigger number of underprivileged children Helpp, his small organisation, was born with the help of his two friends J.C. Singh and Sankar Naskar. Despite dried up funds and false promises from many corners, Saha did receive some good Samaritans too and their Facebook pages such as ‘helppindia’ ‘rollkaku’ and ‘sahapathikrit’ is now helping them to carry their work to a larger audience. Even the food safety watchdog FSSAI recognised Helpp’s effort. However, many obstacles keep coming in, specially funds. As a result, the children have had to change their place of study from a railway station shed to an open ground to a political party office to a local club. He now has been trying hard to get a permanent space for the kids to study, even if it’s a 350 sq ft garage. Hope people would come forward to help him and make his dream endeavour a reality.
