Balianta: ‘Father’s Day’ is always special for 55-year-old Baishnaba Charan Sahu of Bhubanpur village under Balianta block in Khurda district. Today his son Jitendra is an Odisha Industrial Security Force (OISF) constable and that is indeed a huge achievement considering the hardships he had to face.
Baishnaba runs a tea stall at the Balianta market. His entire earnings go towards the fulfilment of his family’s dreams. Baishnaba’s work is all the more laudable is because he has polio and cannot move about freely. He is crippled, but that hasn’t come in the way of bringing up Jitendra.
“For a person like my father who is polio afflicted, bringing up, educating and helping me to get a job is a great thing in itself,” Jitendra said.
“My father was affected by polio a few days after his birth. My grandparents took him to a number of doctors and ayurvedic practitioners but nothing worked. He eventually learnt to live with the deformity. In fact he says the deformity has helped him grow strong mentally. I feel proud to have him as my father. Whatever I am today is because of his inspiration and encouragement. I will spend the rest of my life following his principles,” added Jitendra.
The policeman is quick to point out that without Baishnaba he wouldn’t have made it this far. “Despite his physical challenges, he never allowed financial problems hinder my education. I still remember the day when I broke the news of my selection as an OISF constable. My father seemed to be the happiest person on the earth,” Jitendra reminisces.
Baishnaba is also happy and proud at the way Jitendra has prospered in life. While attending to his customers at the tea stall he said, “I too feel proud to have Jitendra as my son. The thing I like most in him is that he never does anything without asking me. Every month end, he hands over his entire salary to me. The way he loves and respects me really makes me a happy man.”
PNN
