Padma Shri D Prakash Rao: Standing as a Testimony to the Altruistic Service

It is said while doing charity your left hand shouldn’t know what your right hand is giving. In other words, charity need to be done in silence with a divine cause. But the ultra-rich people and the corporates in India are doing just the opposite. They would like to canvass in the media about their welfare activities, no matter how small they are. Yet there are a few individuals who are leading their lives for the welfare of others without expecting anything in return, nor are they interested in glorifying themselves in the media.

Devarapalli Prakash Rao is one such noble soul. Rao was born in Cuttack in the year 1958. More than a Century back his great grandfather migrated from Andhra Pradesh in search of livelihood. He had trekked from Kakinada spanning more than 600 kms for 19 long days in the dense forests while confronting carnivorous animals and suspicious tribals. While crossing over a dozen rivers he reached Katak(Cuttack). This place is on a peninsula flanked by Mahanadi River on the north and Kathajodi River on the south end. The place he settled is now called as Telenga pentha (ତେଲେନଗାନା ପେଣ୍ଠ). He started working in the shoe factory of Madhu Babu. It was Madhusudan Das who himself was instrumental in creating a the pregnant state by the name Orissa. West Bengal has been bifurcated to create this state having its independent language Oriya.

Rao’s father D Krishna Murty was a soldier in Territorial Army. For six long years i.e. from the year 1939 until 1945 he fought in the Second World War. As a soldier, he went to Rangoon, Burma(i.e. Myanmar). From the post of a mere soldier, he got promoted to the position of Lance Naik and finally as a Naik. When the Allies won the war with a renewed vigour he returned to his home town Cuttack. While returning he thought he will get every opportunity to lead a life of comfort, since he was a survivor of war. But the reality was something else. The Indian economy was in the doldrums. And especially Odisha happened to be a tribal area. In the entire state, Cuttack was the lone commercial hub located on the bank of river Mahanadi. But every other year this town was at the receiving end of floods and the epidemics. Thousands of people were perishing in those upheavals.

He started a tea stall with an investment of 5 INR. But you would smile to learn as on this date his son, Prakash Rao, sells each glass of tea for 10 INR. At a tender age of five when Prakash was supposed to carry a black slate and a chalk piece to school, his father engaged him in his tea stall to assist him. From morning till night Prakash was serving tea to customers. He was also delivering tea in an aluminum kettle to the nearby shops and establishments. He was the lone assistant to his father, while his father was making tea, Prakash was washing the tea glasses and the utensils.

Though his father was a tea vendor and was illiterate, yet he knew the relevance of education to lead a dignified life in the society. He left no stone unturned to impart the highest possible education that was available at Cuttack to his son. But during the fifties, there was neither a single government established upper primary school or a high school at Cuttack. In the entire district, there was only one school at Cuttack. That was Christ Collegiate School which was set up by the Christian missionaries. They were providing education to children free of cost. Then there were no formal school uniforms for kids to wear. Though the grandfather of Prakash was once upon a time was working in a shoe factory, but Prakash walked barefoot to his school. He recalls how he would often stumble upon rocks and pebbles and get injured.

As a student Prakash was studious and also a good football player. He had a stellar record in school. But he faced a hurdle in his matriculation. His father couldn’t deposit 42 INR as the fee for the Matriculation (Class 11th) exam. Prakashh had to discontinue his education. He was disheartened but kept on working in their tea stall.

Operating a tea stall is considered to be a menial job in the society. You would be wondering after all what is there to canvas an ordinary tea vendor.

The mission this tea vendor has undertaken in this life is worth celebrating. Prakash thought that he had been deprived of all the benefits of a good life as he could not complete his education. But he set a clear goal for his life. To do whatever little possible on his part to provide free education to children of poor families at least of his locality. For the past 15 years Prakash is teaching the poor children of the nearby slum areas. As he can't leave his tea stall he is teaching kids in a room adjacent to his tea stall. The name of this self-funded school is “Asha O’ Aswasana”. This is how he is able to manage both the duties simultaneously.

For all these years he has been doing this selflessly without any financial aid from either the State Government or any local authority.

Prior to 2018 General Elections one day he received a surprise call from the Dist. Collector office. He was spellbound when he heard that the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi is willing to visit his school to meet him and the children whom he is teaching.

Since morning the entire route and the area was sanitised. And to his disbelief the Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached with his cavalcade of around 18 cars. Modi spent around 55 minutes while interacting with children and D Prakash Rao. But the irony was that he did not drink a cup of tea while observing the security norms that was set by SPG. None of Indians can ever go and meet the Prime Minister of India at New Delhi, but see here the Prime Minister he himself reached the doorstep of D Prakash Rao to meet him personally. Such would be the impact of doing any noble job without any selfish means.

The following year in the month of January 2019 D Prakash Rao has been felicitated with India's 4th highest civilian award that is Padma Shri by the President of India Shri Ram Nath kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The sacrifice of this man does not end here. D Prakash Rao has been donating blood to the sick people. As early as at the age of 18 years he remembers donating blood. Ever since he has been donating blood to whom so ever in need. On an average he is donating blood voluntarily every three months unasked. Until in his lifetime he has donated blood more than 200 times.

Each one of us wants to help, but we have our own conditions. It is also, often, not selfless. But not D. Prakash Rao. He stands as a testimony to the altruistic service.