BHUBANESWAR: If I can’t be a big man, I will at least try and be a good human being.” says Dasmat Murmu, a Grade IX student of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, after being selected for the APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Award for his project. He would be conferred with the prestigious laurel November 16 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The invention for which he received the award from National Innovation Foundation-India is doorbell-triggered vibration alert in pillows.
Interacting with OrissaPOST, KIIT and KISS head Achuyat Samanta said, “I felt glad that my student was quoting me as he had imbibed that as a lesson of life at KISS. He aspires to become a scientist and such small victories pave the way for a glorious future.”
Dasmat joined KISS five years ago in 2013. He was born in Markandna village of Mayurbhanj district of Odisha to Dhananjaya and Sinoga Murmu. Tragedy fell upon this innocent child at the age of one month when his father died. All the burden of the family fell upon his widowed mother who worked as a coolie in the morning and as a maid by the evening. They lived in extremely poor conditions with no one to offer them help in distress.
“I have grown up at my maternal grandfather’s place. I used to play and grazed herds there. I went to the jungles to graze cows, sheep and goat in the morning and come back by the sunset after which I took my food at his place. My mother had to undergo a lot of humiliation for this and she would swallow the bitter words by her father for her son” Dasmat said.
Dasmat’s mother understood the importance of education and that is why with all the difficulties and pain allowed both her kids to study in Ashram School. His cousin had talked about KISS and its efforts at providing education for free besides food, clothing and lodging.
“I got a chance to get enrolled there. One gentleman from our village got me admitted to KISS and removed the miseries and pains from our lives.” proclaimed the young winner.
A boy, who was grazing cattle to have a meal at night, is today an APJ Kalam Ignite Awardee for his innovative work. Dr Kalam would be truly delighted to watch a kindred soul earn such an accolade. Kalam used to earn his breakfast after cleaning his father’s boat and worked for indigenization of niche technology and Dasmat has a similar story.