Somnath Mishra is only 22 years old. While most youngsters his age prefer spending time in the company of friends, Somnath devotes much of his time to helping the poor and distressed. He doesn’t like being identified as a social worker but says that he is keen on doing his bit for society.
He has also been successful in motivating a lot of people through his philanthropic activities and has formed a team of more than 100 people, who work together to help the poor and the needy. Somnath and his group help in cremating unidentified and unclaimed bodies, organising blood donation and health camps, and planting saplings.
The group has already helped in cremating more than 50 bodies and saved innumerable lives by arranging blood donation. Somnath, who has been involved with philanthropic work since 2016, has earned accolades from different corners of the state and won awards such as Change Agent of Odisha, Late Krushna Chandra Panda Samman, Matrubhumi Gourab Samman and Patna Gourav Samman.
Somnath says, “Helping people in need gives me immense happiness. I don’t know why. Initially, I used to organise blood donation and health camps. However, today our primary work is ‘Help on Call,’ as part of which we cremate unidentified bodies.”
“The first cremation by our group was done in May 2016. I was passing through a village when I saw a crowd inside a dumping yard. On enquiring, I learnt that the body of a woman, a victim of honour killing, had been dumped there, and her family refused to claim the body. It was a shocking sight as the body had already decomposed and the onlookers seemed clueless about what to do. Our group immediately decided to perform the last rites,” he adds.
In another incident, an 80-year-old woman drowned after falling in a pond. As she had an inter-caste marriage, no one came forward to cremate her body. “The body remained in the pond for two days. Luckily, someone sent me a text message and we cremated the decomposed body,” says Somnath, who has since cremated several bodies, many of which are of childless people.
Today, Somnath is a household name in Bolangir and its neighbouring districts. Given that cremating bodies requires money, he also takes the initiative to raise funds from time to time. Also, his team members contribute from their own pockets to help the needy. “Initially, we were involved only with cremation of unidentified and unclaimed bodies but now we also contribute money from time to time to help the needy. After the recent Fani, we put up a 17-day-long camp in Puri and served meals to 600 people every day,” he says.
The group also reaches out to the poor who need medical help. Recently, Somnath and his team members arranged money for a two-month-old girl with a tumour in her neck needing surgery.
Born to Tarulata Mishra and Dillip Kumar Mishra, Somnath started working in a government hospital after completing his education. “My late father used to say that that we must always think about doing something good for others and not expect anything in return. I lost my father at a young age and had to support my family. I was looking for a job when people my age were only planning a secure future. I started working, but at the same time, I was trying to do my bit to help the poor and needy,” says Somnath.
Most of the members of his group are either working people or students. “I am happy that there are so many people who are interested in doing this kind of work. Initially, it was difficult bringing them together, as many parents did not want their children to touch unidentified bodies. At times, we carry bodies that are decomposed or partly eaten by animals. But I am grateful to my team members who have always come forward without any hesitation,” he says.
BRATATI BARAL, OP
