TOI, Patna 15-08-08
An insurance agent with a generous heart
Manas Paul
While taking a morning walk two years ago, he saw a one-year-old child crying on a footpath near Tulshibati School in Agartala. At the very first glance, Dhrubajyoti Ghost knew who his mother was, a sex worker who had abandoned the baby.
Bhosh located the baby’s mother and took her consent to take him to Neelajyoti Seva Ashram at Bhubanban.
Now enter the Ashram on any holiday and find the spirited three year old Bikash Das rushing to welcome you with a broad smile. There are 29 more boys in the Ashram. In the morning, they read text books, sing Rabindra Sangeet or tend to the cattle. In the afternoon, they play football or do yoga.
Ghosh is an insurance agent. ‘There are several people who help me in running the Ashram,’ he told TOI.
It all started five years ago when Ghosh came across a semi-naked boy roaming in the market. ‘The scene haunted me and I discussed it with my wife and daughter. I wanted to give shelter to street urchins but I did not have the means.’
‘An elderly man, Ramesh Debnath, donated a piece of land at Bhubanban,
Ghosh said, adding that he then got a thatched house erected for street urchins. He also christened them.
‘Since they did not know who their parents were, I often enrolled them with my late parents’ name -- Nilima and Rakhal. I intentionally gave them SC surnames like Das or Biswas so that they could avail of government benefits in future,’ he said.
Now, all the children are studying in Bhubanban School. The eldest one, Samir Biswas, is in Class VIII and scores 70 to 80% marks.
The children fondly call Ghosh ‘Boro uncle’ or eldest uncle. Ghosh later engage two women -- and three teachers -- to look after the children. A local elderly man, Pramathesh Roy, took charge of the Ashram as caretaker. ‘They are paid a token remuneration of Rs. 500 to Rs. 800. I bear this amount from my earnings.’
