Former tea vendor behind success saga of medicos

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Bhubaneswar: He could not become a doctor himself, but is now pulling out all stops to ensure that others fare better. This year, 18 students from Odisha made it to medical colleges thanks to the initiative of Ajay Bahadur Singh, who once sold tea for a living but now imparts free medical education to 20 underpriveleged students at a time.
His inspiration? Anand Kumar’s famed Super 30 in Patna, which mentors students from downtrodden sections of the society for entrance into the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Recalling the eight-year journey of his Jindagi (Life) campaign, Singh told reporters: “I started the initiative in 2010. Initially, two-three students came for coaching and started qualifying for medical colleges in 2012. This year, 18 students have qualified at medical entrance examinations.’’
Every year, Jindagi provides boarding, lodging and coaching to 20 students free of cost. Singh said he started the initiative as he could not become a doctor due to poverty.
“My father was an engineer and he aspired to make me a doctor. But as luck would have it, he had a kidney problem and we have to sell our properties for a kidney transplant. I had to sell tea and other stuff for my family’s sustenance. So, I could not become a doctor,” said Singh, who belongs to Deoghar in Jharkhand but settled in Bhubaneswar in 2005. The initiative is being viewed as a novel venture in Odisha.
“Anand Kumar’s Super 30 initiative has been an inspiration for many across the world and I also tried to make a beginning. It is really an experience to help poor students come up the ladder and join the mainstream. I and my team are devoted to this cause and the successes have motivated us to work harder,” Singh added.
Students who joined the initiative to reach a medical college have stories of how they overcame tribulations to reach this far with a little bit of help and guidance.
Till a couple of years ago, Twinkle Sahu sold flowers at Jagannath temple to help her father Madan Mohan Sahu, who sold eggs. But the meagre income made it tough. Twinkle, however, had a strong desire to be a doctor, though she knew it was tough.
One day, Singh saw the girl selling flowers outside the temple and that touched him. The girl had flowers in one hand and a book in the other. When Singh enquired about this, Twinkle’s dreams rolled out in the form of tears.
“I faced difficulties in life due to poverty. But my desire to help people has pushed me to qualify in the medical entrance test,” Twinkle told reporters. Santosh Nahak, too, has a similar story. His father Nitai Nahak is a farm labourer. “About the time I passed Plus II, my father became paralysed, affecting the family livelihood. I was dreaming of becoming a doctor to treat paralytics. But my studies were affected. But I did not give up hope. Someone came to my rescue,” Nahak told IANS.