Bhaktipada Maity, a humble rickshaw puller from Krishnanagar village in the Contai Sub-Division of Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, is a remarkable example of how determination and compassion can overcome financial hardship. Despite earning his livelihood through physically demanding work and limited daily wages, he has devoted his life to helping the poor, vulnerable children and distressed members of his community.
His journey of social service began in 1991, when he started helping needy people from whatever little he could save from his earnings after a full day of pulling a rickshaw. What makes his story extraordinary is that his philanthropy did not come from abundance, but from sacrifice. Having himself been deprived of education due to poverty, he developed a deep commitment to ensuring that other children do not face the same struggles he endured.
After nearly 19 years of continuous selfless service, his dream took institutional shape with the formation of Krishnanagar Anath Sishu Ashram (KASA) on 9th August 2010. Through this initiative, he began providing shelter, food and educational support to orphaned and underprivileged children. Over the years, the organisation has supported more than 83 residential children and impacted the lives of over 500 underprivileged children and community members through education support, community welfare activities and social awareness programmes.
Bhaktipada Maity’s journey, however, has not been easy. He has struggled continuously to arrange food, education and basic necessities for the children under his care, often facing severe financial constraints. In addition, he has encountered legal and regulatory challenges while trying to establish and sustain an orphan support system. Yet, despite these difficulties, he continues his mission with unwavering determination, fighting societal and financial odds to keep the organisation alive.
His life reflects a powerful message—that true social change does not depend on wealth but on commitment, empathy and courage. From a rickshaw puller to a social caregiver for hundreds of vulnerable lives, Bhaktipada Maity’s story is one of resilience, sacrifice and hope. His greatest achievement is not the organisation he built, but the lives he continues to transform through education, care and compassion.
His journey continues with the same simple belief that has guided him for decades: no child should be deprived of care and education because of poverty.