Last year, Alok Tripathi from Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district ran from pillar to post to acquire a pass to move around during the lockdown. He neither had classes to take, nor any medical emergencies. Upon hearing his peculiar reason, even authorities smirked, but eventually gave in.
His reason was to water plants in the government pre-secondary (middle) school, that he had so carefully and lovingly nurtured over the years. For the last 20 years, Alok, the village headmaster, has strenuously worked to convert an empty 3.5-acre patch of the school property into a green oasis. However, due to various reasons, the plan never flourished. So finally, when in 2018, he observed a change, Alok has since been going all out to protect the plants.
It’s rare to see a school teacher devoting so many years of his life to a cause he truly believes in. As I say this, Alok, who is sitting hundreds of miles away from me in MP, lets out a hearty laugh and says, “In the ‘80s, I had just joined…