At Badalpur, a village in Contai in Bengal’s East Midnapore district, 16-year-old Navonil Das is right now the most discussed person.
Navonil has written to the headmaster of his school that he will donate his entire scholarship money, a sum of ₹24,000, to the school library so that students from poor families like his don’t have to beg for books.
The elder among two sons of a man who runs the family by making photocopies of documents with an old machine and selling crops grown on a small patch of ancestral land, Navonil does not enjoy the luxury of having anything in plenty. His younger brother is a class 6 student.
Yet, the class 10 student from Badalpur Bidya Bhaban High School, from where he will appear for secondary examination next year, is ready to donate the money he received from the Union ministry of human resource development last month. He wants the state government-aided school to have a well-stocked library.
In 2016, when Navonil was in class 8, he appeared for the National Means cum Merit Scholarship, (NMMSS). The examination was launched in 2008 to award scholarships to meritorious students from economically backward sections. This was done to reduce drop-out rate at class 8 level. Navonil received the money last month.
“My grandfather always talked about helping people in need. I am paying homage to his memory,” said Navonil. His father, forty-five-year old Debabrata Das, is the sole bread earner in the family.
{{/usCountry}}“My grandfather always talked about helping people in need. I am paying homage to his memory,” said Navonil. His father, forty-five-year old Debabrata Das, is the sole bread earner in the family.
{{/usCountry}}“Navonil is a meritorious student. We are aware of his father’s financial condition. We never imagined that he would decide to donate the money. We feel proud of him,” Subodh Kumar Karan, head master of the school, said.
Badalpur Bidya Bhaban High School was set up in 1969. It has around 500 students and 11 teachers. The library has around 1500 books. The school authorities have decided to accept the donation from Navonil.
Debabrata Das has also welcomed his son’s decision. “My father did a lot to educate people in our village. I know that my son needs the money for his studies but he has my support,” he said.
Navonil’s teachers said they will help the teenager if he ever faces any problem.