Babar Ali: The unsung hero from Murshidabad

We’ve often heard that, good things always come in small packages. Well believe it or not they really do; atleast when it comes to the remarkable boy-man named Babar Ali, who ceases to amaze none, with his equally remarkable mission of education and educating.

It is a fact that even today, as India is progressing like never before, there are still millions of children across the nation, living in families which can not afford a decent meal for them, leave aside education. The children of such families are forced to look at means of earning a living rather than think of books, pencils and school.

Life for them is tough, but within these very children is a 16 year old school boy named Babar Ali, whose unique obsession and drive for education has not only kept him glued to studies, but has also resulted in transforming the lives of many other poor children around him.

Babar’s commendable deeds were brought to light by the BBC, which spotted him during the BBC’s Hunger to Learn series.

The teenager from Murshidabad West Bengal has lived his life in extreme poverty. But so great was his desire to study and go to school that fighting all odds the boy attended classes regularly in the Raj Govinda school, miles away from home, yet the best in his part of West Bengal.

The going has been quite tough. Starting early morning, Babar, helps family with household chores and then getting ready for school he jumps onto an auto that takes him 10 kms towards the school, but not quite there. Babar has to walk the remaining kilometres to reach Raj Govinda.

He says;

"It's not easy for me to come to school because I live so far away, but the teachers are good and I love learning. And my parents believe I must get the best education possible that's why I am here."

Not only does he enjoy studying, he is also a very good student, dedicated and studious. Surprising to know that, he is the first member of his family to go to school.

It is helpful that the school is a government run institution and Babar does not have to pay the fee. He only has to cater for his uniform, books and travelling expenses. But that still amounts up to around 1800 annually, which is quite a sum for his poor parents to afford. Yet their will to educate their son and his desire to learn is matchless.

However, the tale of Babar Ali does not end here; it has only started.

The end of school finds him back in the house, right there in the family’s backyard, facing hundreds of eager looking students, who start their classes in this self styled, unofficial school of Babar’s with a national anthem.

Each day at four, Babar rings a bell in the backyard that summons the children to his school, where he is the youngest principal the world has ever seen. He lectures the students on various issues and all that he has learnt from his teachers at school.

What first began as child’s play at the age of nine, has today grown in magnitude and intention, and has taken a much serious form. His school today finds an attendance of 800 students, all coming back from work, some as house maids, others as labourers and still others as farm helps.

Poor children, for whom education is a luxury they can not afford, are seated all over Babar’s backyard, looking at him with desire in their eyes; the desire to learn.
No fee is charged in this school. There are 10 other teachers who teach the children voluntarily. They are all college students and work in the school in their free time. Even the books and stationary are free of cost, funded by donations.

Babar Ali says;

“Without this school many kids wouldn't get an education, they'd never even be literate. I realised these children will never learn to read and write if they don't have proper lessons. It's my duty to educate them, to help our country build a better future."

Today the school has been recognised by the local authorities and has increased the literacy rate of the area tremendously. Babar too has won many awards for his work.

There is lack of funds, there is lack of resources, but what is never found lacking in Babar’s school is the will to learn; both in this students as well as their principal. Kudos to this young man with great ambitions!
 

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