Ratna Ranjan Behera : An Harbinger of Life

[Ratna Ranjan Behera while being felicitated with international Human Rights Award by his excellence Governor of Andhra Pradesh Biswabhushan Harichandan]

In the present socio economic condition a majority of people are literate. The new genres of people become  career oriented. These days’ kids with good upbringing are studying hard in their schools and colleges just to secure a respectable and well paid job. The motive is to earn money, instead of developing children into persons with ethics and human values. 

Most of the guys are spending their entire life while working and earning money. But seldom we are paying back our debts either to parents who reared us; or to the  teachers who taught us in the school or the fellow beings of the village or town among whom we grew to be adults. But here is a person who has broken all such common practices. And the man all we are talking about is Ratna Ranjan Behera who was born at Jagannathpur in Dhenkanal districts of Odisha somewhere during the mid-70’s of the last Century.                

Ratna is the youngest  of all the siblings  at home. When he was barely one and half years old his father expired out of heart stroke relatively at a young age of 42 years. Due to the nascent age Ratna don't even remember ever seeing his father's face. His father was working as a Sub-Inspector with excise department. After the demise of his father his mother was mentally shattered. She no more able to manage the state of affairs at home. It was his elder sister then when she was only 15 years old took the overall responsibility to look after Ratna. When the elder sister got married his third sister looked after Ratna.

His village Jagannathpur is located in the interior of central Odisha i.e. in Dhenkanal district. One side of his village is fenced by Ramiala river, whereas on the other side there is a forest where many species of wild animals are coexisting with nature. Ratna attended government run Oriya medium primary school at  his village Jagannthpura. He was a well-mannered and sincere kid among all the students of his school. They did not have any school uniform , unlike the trend of what all the English medium private schools are following today. Then children could wear any dress that they have. While hanging a cloth bag on his shoulder filled with books and a pen he was walking barefoot almost two kilometres through the paddy fields and water streams every day.  On completion of primary school as there was no high school, his third sister took him to Nalco Nagar, Angul for his upbringing.

You might be reading this post while sitting in the air conditioned chamber of your office or while lying on the bed with a fan revolving on top of your head. But during the primary and high school Ratna was studying his textbooks under the low luminosity of kerosene lanterns because then his village was not yet electrified. So you could judge yourself under what circumstances that tender boy might have grown up. 

          

He joined degree in mechanical engineering at Shyamlal Engineering College, Latur in Marthwada region of Maharastra. On acquiring the degree he got placement as a trainee engineer at Tata Automotive and Assembly Ltd. It is an ancillary industry of India’s leading automobile manufacturing company Tata Goup. While undergoing training he has submitted many suggestions for the technical improvement on production as a consequence of which he got a lot of their in-house Kaizen rewards.

After working for 6 years in Tata Group he joined Caparo Group. It’s the Indian outfit of the richest NRI Swaraj Paul who is a British national. Now Ratna is working with Mahindra and Mahindra, Nasik plant. 

But the reason for occupying the coveted place in this blog is his contribution for the people and the society where he was born and spent his childhood and adolescent age.

Ratna though migrated to Maharashtra in search of livelihood, but his heart traverse in and around his village and district for the welfare of his people. Ratna made his social activities an integral part of his personal life. Before the  first birthday of his son they were thinking of doing some noble work to shower the blessing of the almighty on his son. They were searching for an orphanage at Nashik. In the meanwhile the collective consciousness of the Universe responded and a fellow called him from NALCO and told him “Why don’t you forward help to Nabajiban Anathashram which is situated at Balaramprasad in Dist. Angul”? Ratna responded to that Universal call thinking God has responded to his silent prayer. With  whole heart he donated meals for around 60 children. With that he did not stop but consistently doing it so, ever since for the past 6 years on the very day of his son’s birthday. At Angul town there is an old age home run by the same Nabajiban Trust. When so ever he gets any requisition from them, he is forwarding help to different old persons depending upon case to case basis.

This person has taken the drive to protect the environment surrounding the place where he is living. Once again he has tied up his personal life with the individual social responsibility by planting different kind of trees at Nasik where he is living. On the very first birthday of his son Ratna planted just one tree, but the second year he planted two plants. Likewise every year he keep on planting one additional sapling as compared to the previous year. This planet would be a worth a living only if every parent take such initiative at least in the name of their children.

By mobilising the youth of his village many times he has conducted blood donation camps and once a worksop for  AIDS awareness. 

During this pandemic period his Foundation is supplying and distributing masks and food items like rice, dal, biscuits, chuda and vegetables at Nabjeevan anath ashram, Angul. Also providing dry fruits, masks and sanitizer two homeless persons on streets.

Ratna was greatly influenced by the social work done by his elder brother Chhata bhai who was the President of Angul Cooperative Bank, Jagannathpur; President of Pani Panchayat; President of Jagannathpur village. He is the one who has taken the initiative to set up the high school of his village and subsequently become its first Secretary. In memory of whom Ratna has registered a Foundation by the name Ama Chhata Bhai Pratishthan Trust for rendering social activities.

Ratna has initiated a project in Odisha for solid waste management. They will convert the garbage collected from different Notified Area Councils and panchayats of Odisha into organic fertilizer. The end product will not only be environment friendly and cost-effective, but will also produce healthy food grains.

A Shiva temple by the name Sree Kapileswar is now located inside Ramiala river. Historians and Researchers believe that temple dates back to Ganga Dynasty as they had their affinity and inclination for Lord Shiva. In Dhenkanal district people believe those who visit the temple and prostrate before the lord all their troubles are waived and happiness returns to life. 

Local residents claim that earlier there was a place called Deulapatna under Jagannathpur Gram panchayat. The temple is situated amidst the river Raamial, which is approx 2 kms from Badasuanlo square, an important village on NH 200 between Kamakhya Nagar and Bhuvan in Dhenkanal District. It is believed that there was a temple of Goddess Parvati, just at a distance of 25 steps away. 

     

It is a folklore the king of Dhenkanal engaged a cowherd to take his cows for grazing. The cowherd was taking all the cows to the river bank for grazing, but on returning at the dusk hour one cow never used to give milk. When the king was reported he suspected the cowherd might be stealing milk. He was summoned in the darbar of the royal palace. The poor cowherd was kept in custody and the next day a soldier was delegated the job of taking that particular cow for grazing. The soldier was instructed to be vigilant on the cow until it returns back to its den at the evening.  

Before evening that particular cow entered a bush and stood in between anthills. There was a rock sculpted Shiv linga. When the cow stood over that Shivling. Automatically on its own milk milk showered over the Shiv ling. When the king learnt about it, he believed the presence of Lord Shiva in that holy place and thus built this very temple at the same spot. Looking at the seven hundred years of history of this temple Ratna taking initive to make it a tourist place.

Another folklore claims towards the end of 6th century, there used to be a small village, Hatuari on the banks of river Ramiala. A milk man  used to take his cows for grazing to the bank of the river every day. But one day he spotted a Black cow standing and was automatically milking. The boy could not hold his surprise and thus spread the word amongst all in the village. There were few Brahmin scholars in the village who later discovered Milk and Aegle Marmelos leaves on the spot and started praying assuming the place to be holy. Later the then king from family of Anang Uday Nath, himself visited the place and later ordered a Temple to be built for the well being of the devotees. 

Ever since the temple gained popularity and the deity was worshiped with all rituals performed to celebrate important and auspicious days. A lot of devotees from all over the state throng to this place on Mondays, during the Hindu calendar Karthik Purnima and especially during Shivratri. It was Ratna who extensively collected the data about this Temple from the elderly people of his village and compiled them.

Awards and recognitions:                                      

One who works for the society  without any selfish cause  always gets due recognition. Until now Ratna has been felicitated at many big platforms across India for the noble job that he has undertaken without any selfish gole. 

1. World human rights and Odisha productivity council awarded for  social work from the hand  of Governor    Biswabhusan Harichandan

2. The Global Human Rights foundation felicitated him Rashtriy Samaj Seva Ratna awarded  

3. Global International Foundation Team Appreciation of outstanding Dedication and service to nation and fight against Covid 19.

4. Global Business awarded for Promising Social Activist.   

5. Pratigya Award for social work from the hands of  Mayor Bhubaneswar Mr. Ananta  Narayan Jena       and  Arabind  Dhali 

6.Suryakheetra  Award for social work by Bhagirathi Jena MLA, Ananda pur 

7. Felicitated by  odia  samaj, Mumbai

8. Felicitated by  odiya  samaj  Pune 

9. Felicitated by  Jagannathpur  Grampanchayat.

10. Star India award Certificate for The Real Super Heroes,2020 Corona warriors.

11. Apj.Abdul Kalam International Foundation  certify for kindness for Corona warrior

12. Appreciated by CHARO’N DISHA for Pandemic situation of Covid- 19.

13. Utkal Gourav Seva Sangha, Delhi Certification of appreciation for outstanding dedication and contribution in social service.

In his village Jagannathpura every community of people live harmoniously. They celebrate collectively all Hindu festivals. In the above video you can see the villagers playing Badi Khela during Dola Purnima, which in fact is a major festival for the Gauda samaj.

  

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