Story of a selfless teacher from Purulia

Anadi Charan Nayek, is a seventy-three-year old,ex-school teacher of Mukundapur primary school. For years, he watched intently how students of Chandra High School under Manbazar Block 1 in Purulia,attended school tip-toeing on muddy, slushy paths during monsoon. The annual plight of students always depressed him and he wanted to do something to make their journey a little less painful. He took a number of initiatives and applied to government departments to construct a metal road for the school children.

Nayek met many officials to push his demand, but to no avail. For some vague reason, the proposal was never initiated. Finally, he decided to take the plunge himself. He had saved some cash for the rainy day which he decided to invest in the project. The rest sounds like a fairytale. An amount of one lakh eighty-five thousand was spent to complete the road. After completion, hesent a note to the local BDO (Block Development Officer) informing him the metal road had been laid.

Anadibabu's zeal for social work has not stopped with the construction of the road. He has also built a proper, covered bathing area for the village women close to the Sayerbandh. He says, 'I often saw village women bathing in the open at the Sayerbandh. It looked indecent. I contacted officials and village heads to look into their problem and construct a proper bathing area for women. I even appealed to the 'Sholo-anna' Committee with the proposition to seek donation from villagers and construct a bathing area, or at least a wall for the women to change and clean. But none seemed to take my proposal seriously. Finally, I decided to go ahead with the project myself. I pulled out my savings and got a decent bathing area constructed for the women at a cost of two lakhs. My funds were limited, so to save some expenses, I myself worked as a labourer in the project.'

Anadibabu continues, 'I have two sons. One of them holds a regular job and the other is into business. Whatever I had saved in my career as a school teacher, I have spent on these two projects.' The septuagenarian sounds content as he sweeps the floor of the bathing area himself, a ritual of sorts he meticulously follows daily.