Parshuram Ram, a man who dedicated his life to educate deprived children out of hardship is among dozens of ordinary people.
He is neither very educated (studied till class 4), nor too wealthy (but definitely sensitive towards the education) still struggling hard to impart education to them.
By profession Prashuram is a ‘mason’ (Raj Mistri), running Birsa Munda Nishulk Vidyalaya, at Sector 12 in Bokaro Steel City just aside the Bokaro airport, providing free education to the underprivileged children like sons and daughters of daily wage earners, scavengers including others since 1997.
Not only he is educating them ‘free of cost’ but also providing them with free books, copies, dresses including other study materials; about 150 children are presently studying in his school.
His wife is also a part of this noble mission, working as the housemaid at several houses to meet their both end needs.
The 61-years-old believes that “education is an indispensable part of life and essential for holistic development.”
“Along with education, spiritual growths of the children are my ultimate goal. I want to devote my rest of life in imparting education among such children and in human services,” he added.
Originally hailing from Siwan district of Bihar, Parsuram rushed at Bokaro in 1992 in search of employment at Bokaro Steel Plant but all went in-vain. Havig failed to get any job at the plant, he joined hands with a civil contractor and started working as a mason in the civil town area at Bokaro.
Recalling his memories, he said, one day when we were at work, I heard that our contractor is scolding and humiliating a female worker as his children were with her during work. He asked her to concentrate only on her work and not on her children; otherwise, she will not be paid for the day.
I got shocked; the words (contractor told to the female worker) stuck in my mind. I thought the children of a daily wage earner or labour would become a ‘labourer’. And at that time I decided to build the future of such children by making them literate so that they would not become a labourer or a daily wage earner in their future.
“Though it was very tough task for me as I was also a daily wage earner, but with complete dedication and help of others, I have started a school in clay made hut in 1997 with 36 such children, now their number has grown up to 157 (from Nursery to Class 7 only),” he said.
I am getting enough supports from locals; they are cooperating by many means. Two BSL employees’ wives Chandra Prabha Devi and Mamta Singh along with three youths Babita Kumari, Ajit Choudhary and Ajay Kumar are contributing as teachers here, giving their valuable time for such children, he said
Amidst financial strain and philanthropic work Parsuram also educated his four children including two boys Ajay and Vijay who have done BEd and ready to join government job and two daughters Manisha and Babita both have completed their +2 recently.