Now a 31-year-old young man, Ch Nageshu Patro has been raising his small family, unaware of the difficulties his parents face in providing daily food for the household.
But things began to change when his older brother dropped out of school and took up odd jobs to support the family. “My parents were day laborers and we always had financial problems. However, the problem got worse and my parents told me that they could no longer afford my education,’ she recalls in a conversation with Nagesu. Uttam India.
A passionate reader, Nageshu was heartbroken and determined to change his fate. He made it his mission to prevent people from dropping out of education due to poverty.
Tonight the porter by night and the teacher by day are doing exactly that. He runs free coaching classes where he teaches students from classes 6 to 12 for free. “When I started, I had only 10 students. However, today the center has more than 70 students with four teachers, two of whom are volunteers and do not charge any fees,” he said.
‘Don’t give up on my dreams’
Born in a poverty-stricken family in Odisha’s Ganjam district, Nageshu started doing odd jobs at the age of 16.
“I wanted to go to coaching classes so that I could score well in my Class 10 exams. When I approached my parents with this request, I found out that they couldn’t even pay my school fees. So coaching was totally out of the question,” he recalls.
“I asked my brother for help but he refused too. I decided to follow in his footsteps and work. My plan was to save my education and resume soon,” he added. But Nagesu, who had no idea how hard it would be to find a job, says at the time he was confident he would earn enough to go to school soon.
But he soon came to terms with the reality of his situation. “I got a job in a factory in Surat and had to leave everything, including my home and dreams. The job gave me Rs 1,500, from which I send some money home and use the rest to support myself,” he says.
Nageshu wanted to stay closer to home and spent a few years working in a shopping mall in Hyderabad before finally returning. “I left home in 2006 and returned in 2011 when my brother told me about opening the Indian Railways,” he recalls.
The opening was for a porter. ‘I cleared the medical and physical tests and got the job. I was happy because it meant I would be closer to home and I would also earn more money,” he says.
Soon, he talked to his brother about his studies. “I was already a bit late to finish my school but I wanted to. I told my brother about it and he was surprised. He praised me for not giving up on my dream and encouraged me to resume my education,” he says.
He says, ‘I used to work as a porter at night and study during the day.
Nageshu currently holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees with specialization in Oriya language. “I paid for my own education and was able to help my family,” he says proudly.
‘We will ensure no child is left behind’
“After years of struggle, when I was able to get a steady job as a porter, I was sure that I wanted to help people like me,” he says.
So even while working and supporting his family, Nageshu kept money aside for his future. “It was in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and our lives were completely disrupted. “I was out of a job because I didn’t have a passenger,” he says.
Although Nageshu could rely on his savings for a while, he saw that most of the minority children in his neighborhood were dropping out of school. “The main reason they drop out is that the online system is not working in most government schools. I can’t bear to see these children wasting the important years of my childhood life,” he says.
So he decided to use his savings and start coaching classes. “It wasn’t planned or well thought out. I just asked the kids from my neighborhood to come to my house and I’d teach them,” he says. “I never paid the kids a penny and taught them well because it was my passion. Soon word spread and my house was filled with eager children.
So far, Nageshu has taught hundreds of children and currently a batch of 70 are studying in his coaching classes for free. “I spend the money I earn from working as a coolie and the money I receive from guest lectures at a private university in Ganjam district for my coaching classes. I have recruited four teachers, two of whom are volunteers,’ he said.
Rohan, a class 12 student, says, “I have been studying with Nagesu sir for many years. I come from a minority background and his coaching center has been very helpful. It is hard enough for my parents to pay school fees; It would have been really difficult to afford the coaching fees.”
He informs that his favorite subject is history and wants to graduate like his beloved “Nageshu Sir”.
Nagesu also recently got a job as a teacher in a private school. With new responsibilities, he has shortened his days. However, he has no plans to stop coaching classes.
“Many friends and family tell me how this coaching center is like a well draining my resources. Says ‘Just done now‘ (You must close the center now). But then I think about how it will affect the children and my resolve strengthens. I will continue and ensure that no child is left behind,” says Nagesu.
If you like Nageshu’s work and want to support him or volunteer at the center, you can contact him on 94390 08509.
(Editing by Pranitha Bhat)