He had long cherished a dream of starting an English medium school for the underprivileged children of his locality but did not have the resources. But that could not deter him from keeping his hope alive. A Railway hawker by profession, Kanai Saha started saving money to fulfil his dream of opening an English medium school for children.
Finally his dream project “Little Planet KG School” came into being in 2007 near Kadambagachhi Railway Station of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district in the vicinity of Kolkata. The purpose behind this English medium school was to make English education available for the underprivileged children of the locality, so that they can compete with English educated students and pursue a career of their choice.
From Railway Hawker to School Founder
In order to pursue his dream, Kanai Saha began working in double shifts as a Railway hawker, selling hot kachoris to daily passengers in the morning and evening. The extra money which he started earning was being saved for school infrastructure and paying fees to teachers. Several local residents also came forward offering financial help to build the English medium school, while educated youths volunteered to teach the underprivileged kids.
The school, which started running with classes from nursery to 5th standard, soon gained popularity and gradually got 150 students enrolled. “Many people even discontinued their children from their existing schools and got them enrolled in my school. I have lived in a slum all my life but I made sure that the school building I made was a concrete one,” Little Planet KG School Founder Kanai Saha told The CSR Journal.
Lockdown struck hard
The school was running smoothly till the Covid -19 pandemic hit in 2020 followed by a nationwide lockdown. With Suburban Railway services being hit due to the lockdown, Saha was left without a source of income. Even when other schools resumed post lockdown, the doors of Little Planet KG School remained shut due to lack of funds as Saha could not get back to work due to ailing health.
Starting afresh
The pain was unbearable for the founder. Reality hit him hard when he saw his dream getting shattered into pieces. However, 60-year-old Kanai Saha believes in never say die. He has started taking initiative to restart his school and approaching people for financial support. Local residents, teachers and others have extended their support in his journey. “I believe nothing is impossible. My battle is not over yet. Little Planet KG School will restart again. Kids will again recite A for Apple and B for Ball very soon. But as of now I will have to chant F for Fight every day till I make that happen!” signed off the veteran.
