Padmapur: Bairagi Charan Nayak, a resident of Padmapur panchayat in Bhadrak district, is a social activist, educationist, religious preacher and an environmentalist, all rolled into one.
However, he has earned a name for his work in environment protection. He is a promoter of women’s education as he has set up a women’s college in the area.
He believes in the saying, “Human life is not counted by hours, months or years, rather it is counted by one’s noble work.” These lines were part of a famous poem by Gopabandhu Das.
Nayak was born June 18, 1931 at Sartarpur. After completing his education at his village school, he took up agriculture as a means of living.
However, he was moved by the plight of the poor and helpless people. He started helping out those in distress and spreading religious consciousness in the area in 1990. For promotion of women’s education, he set up ‘Gayatri Mata Sanskrut Mahavidyalaya’ at Chatarpada. Hundreds of girl students pursue higher education here at minimal cost.
Then, he set up an ashram on the outskirts of his village and has planted over 5,000 trees of different varieties around it and more along the Padmaur-Birasa Road. He delivers religious discourses at various institutions.
He is 88. Though he can hardly see and hear anything, he has been telling others to promote environment and righteous living.
PNN
