Rourkela cloth store owner builds homes for the needy

Rourkela: In a remarkable display of humanitarian service, a cloth store owner of Rourkela has provided shelter to 28 homeless families across three districts over the past two years using around Rs 25 lakh from his personal savings to construct the homes. "Service to mankind is service to God," said 63-year-old Bharat Chandra Bai, who runs a modest cloth store in Chhend here.

His journey began in March 2023 when he met Shatrughna Behera and his wife, a destitute couple living in a dilapidated structure in Dihakula village, Jajpur district. Moved by their plight, Bai constructed their first shelter home in just 10 days.

The initial project sparked a larger mission. Till date, Bai has built 16 homes in Jajpur district, eight in Kendrapada, and four in Sundargarh. Each ‘Gopabandhu Kutir' or ‘Parbati Giri Kutir' — named after renowned social activists — measures 10 ft by 12 ft and costs around Rs 90,000 to construct.

A beneficiary, 31-year-old Jyotsna Nayak from Rasiknagar village, Kendrapada, said, "We had applied multiple times for govt housing schemes without success. Bharat bhai came forward and built us a home. He is like god to our family."

Despite his generous initiatives, Bai leads a modest life, residing in a rented house and using a bicycle for local travel. His son, a homeopathic doctor, supports the family's daily expenses. Before opening his cloth store, Bai worked in marketing for 23 years, rising from a sales representative to a manager overseeing multiple states.

Looking ahead, Bai aims to construct 22 more homes by Feb 2026, planning to fund the initiative through the sale of his unused land. He refuses donations from NGOs, govt bodies or individuals, preferring to rely solely on his personal earnings.

This isn't Bai's first venture into social service. A former student activist, who once spent five days in jail in 1980, he had earlier ran a charitable homeopathic clinic in his native village from 2007 to 2017. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he distributed food packets to street dwellers and has consistently helped people with medical treatments and marriages.

As recognition for his extraordinary service, various organisations have felicitated Bai. However, he remains focused on his mission to provide shelter to those in need, embodying the spirit of selfless service.