Biswabrata Goswami
MIDNAPORE, 29 JUNE: Sometimes, a teacher doesn’t just teach lessons from books — they shape lives, lift entire communities, and sow seeds of change that bloom for generations. Such was Ramapati Maiti, the beloved headmaster of Chongrachak Jagadish Smriti Vidyapith. On his birth centenary, emotions ran high as hundreds of former students—now scattered across the country and globe—returned to the small village of Chongrachak not just to remember him, but to say thank you, in the most meaningful ways.
The most touching moment of the day came when Swami Bimalatmananda Maharaj, Vice President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, unveiled a bronze bust of the late headmaster in the school courtyard. Around it, a crowd of old students, teachers, and villagers stood silent—some with moist eyes, some with folded hands, all holding on to a memory of the man who had once walked these very grounds with chalk in hand and dreams in his heart.
From 1952 to 1990, Ramapati Maiti served as the headmaster of this rural school, tucked away in Moyna’s remote Chongrachak village. In those 38 years, he turned a humble institution into a cradle of excellence. Today, the school boasts 1,540 students—including nearly 800 girls—and counts among its alumni doctors, engineers, professors, and public servants.
One of them, Dr. Bikash Pal, now a senior professor of Electric Power Engineering at Imperial College London, joined the event over a long-distance call. Decades ago, he was just a shy boy from a farmer’s family in Kishmat Rajpura, studying in the school hostel and receiving free morning tuition from his teacher, Satish Chandra Manna—who never once asked for money. “He gave me the light I carry even today,” said Dr. Pal, his voice breaking with emotion. Quoting Tagore, he whispered, “Jeevan jokhon shukaaye jaay, karunadharaye eso”—When life begins to dry, come in a stream of compassion.
As a token of his gratitude, Dr. Pal sponsored the installation of automated sanitary pad vending machines and awareness drives for girls on campus. The project was inaugurated by none other than his former teacher, Satish Manna—an emotional moment that bridged the past and present.
Another alumnus, octogenarian Dr. Timir Baran Samanta, helped install an eco-disposal machine for used pads, supported by Haldia Energy Limited. Former students also funded the creation of a smart classroom and the making of Ramapati Maiti’s bust. Kharagpur-based alumnus Amalendu Jana alone contributed Rs 1.3 lakh for the statue.
President of the alumni association, retired professor Sushil Manna, summed it up best: “It’s not just a celebration of a birth centenary. It’s a celebration of a legacy of compassion, character, and community.”
In 2005, The Telegraph recognized Ramapati Maiti with a Lifetime Achievement Award. But long before the award and long after it, his true reward has always been what was seen here today: generations of students who still remember, still return, and still carry his lessons in their hearts.
