Simulia: After retiring from the Indian Air Force, 58-year-old Rajendra Kumar Mohapatra has been doing social service here in Balasore district.
Riding his bicycle around villages, he creates awareness on various issues among the people. From giving career counselling to students to highlighting rural problems in social media, Rajendra renders social service with passion.
More important, he even donates a part of his pension to elderly persons, who have been deprived of government scheme benefits, every month.
“Many elderly persons wait for me to have some money every month. They bless me when they receive the money. God has gifted some capacity to all to help others. It gives me joy when the elderly flash smiles on receiving the help,” Rajendra said.
He retired from IAF in 2001 and later worked as a project manager for a telecom company in Andhra Pradesh. But he is inclined towards social service. Though his family is in AP, he has come to his native place Bana in Simulia.
Every day, he visits villages to get to know of the people’s problems and take pictures of the deplorable scenario of rural pockets and upload them on social media platforms. Besides, he creates awareness among the people about the benefits of various government schemes.
He also visits educational institutions and counsells students on careers. Thanks to his gift of the gab, he has been familiar with people especially students in the area.
“If students are guided properly in choosing their careers, they can get to know of life skills and build their future and will be able to adjust themselves to any situation in life. Thereby, they can achieve progress in society,” he observed.
Son of Indumati and Jadunath Mohapatra, Rajendra had joined IAF in 1981 while he was studying in Bhadrak College. He was part of a peace mission sent by the Central government to strife-torn Jaffna in Sri Lanka in 1988. He also took part in the Kargil war in 1999.
His elder son Rajkmal is a photographer of international repute while his daughter-in-law is a manager at a five star hotel. They stay in Mumbai while the family of his younger son Nilkamal and his wife stay in Hyderabad.
At the village, Rajendra leads an ascetic life: cooks his food and does all household work. “I am hale and hearty and living a happy life in the village,” he asserts.
PNN
