Dana Majhi’s children to get free education in Odisha capital

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 10:

After various individuals and organisations came forward to extend financial help to Dana Majhi who carried his dead wife on his shoulders for 10 km, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) has gone a step forward to provide free education to the children of the tribal man from Odisha’s Kalahandi district.

Earlier in the day, various tribal organisations from Kalahandi along with Dana Majhi approached Dr Achyuta Samanta— founder, KIIT & KISS—and the authorities to shoulder the educational responsibility of the  grief-stricken girls who lost their mother recently.

Following request from organisations like Biswabasu Sabar Samaj, District Tribal Society, All Odisha Banjara Samaj, Tribal Employees Sangram Samiti, and local MLA Capt. Dibyasankar Mishra, Dr Samanta agreed to admit Chandini, Sonei and Pramila in world’s largest residential school for tribals.

“After coming to know about the unfortunate incident about Dana Majhi, I had sent KISS staff to inquire about him and his children. Today, he along with other tribal leaders from Kalahandi district visited KISS to get the three girls enrolled in the institute,” Dr Achyuta Samanta said.

The tribal representatives from the district also requested KISS authorities to open a branch of the institute in Kalahandi.

A branch of KISS will start functioning in Kalahandi from the coming academic year, KISS authorities hinted.

Though the land for this purpose has already been purchased since 2011, work has not progressed due to paucity of funds, the officials said.

The tribal organizations from Kalahandi further requested to admit 100 more children from Dana Majhi’s village and the local area in KISS, which was also agreed to in principle.

“I have already discussed with the Ambassador of Bahrain in New Delhi regarding financial assistance from Government of Bahrain to Dana Majhi. An amount of Rs. 9 lakh will be given whenever Dana Majhi will visit the Embassy of Bahrain in New Delhi with a representative of KISS. As per advice of the Ambassador of Bahrain, this amount will be deposited as fixed deposits in the names of daughters of Dana Majhi,” Dr. Samanta informed.

It may be recalled that Bahrain Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa had extended financial help to Dana after learning about his ordeal from a local newspaper.

Also Read: Hearse shocker: Bahrain Premier extends help to Odisha’s Dana Majhi