Some regrets never leave us, no matter how old we get: some choose to act on them, while others live with them. Ahmed Ali, an 82-year-old inhabitant of Karimganj, Assam, worked as a rickshaw puller for over two decades, yet he was never worried by a lack of money. It was Ali’s sorrow that he had never attended school. As a result, Ali accomplished something that few could envision. Ali established as many as nine schools using his little wages and the pieces of land he owned.
Aside from earning a living as a rickshaw puller, he also worked on building sites and other places in Guwahati. But he never had any regrets in life since everything he did was done with honesty and pride, and he used this time to get to know the people around him. “I met numerous people in my life in the last eight decades,” he adds in an interview with TwoCircles.net. Many of them discussed their ideas with me. Many of them even gave me awards just because I didn’t charge more than others. But there was one thing that constantly bothered me. That I couldn’t go to school… It hurt me. It is a sin for anyone to fail to attend school and obtain an education.”
So he resolved that no one should suffer a similar fate after him. He began to collect whatever funds he could and contributed at least 32 bighas of land from his 36 bighas of property for the establishment of schools.
“Now, seeing the students go to school, I feel a kind of joy and happiness that I can’t express,” he continued.
Ali has so far established nine schools. In Madhurbond and its surrounding territories, there are three lower primary schools, five middle English schools, and one high school. Among these, the community insisted on naming one ME School and one high school after him.
Ali founded his first school in his community in 1978, a lower elementary school, by selling his property and collecting modest sums of money from the villagers. Later, the government provincialized three lower elementary schools, with more on the way.
It was tough for him at first since he had to organise everything before the government support arrived. “I had to build the walls and other necessary structures with the help of villagers and well-wishers.” “Later on, the government helped the schools,” he explained.
After successfully witnessing these schools expand over time, Ali now wishes to establish a junior college in their community as soon as possible.
There are many things I would have loved to undertake, particularly when it comes to creating educational facilities for children and adolescents. But, given my limited resources, I’d like to establish a junior college in the surrounding areas so that kids don’t have to travel far to study (10+2),” Ali explained.
Since Modi lauded Ali for his “willpower,” his little town of Madhurbond on the Bangladesh border has been in a festive mood. After constructing nine schools in Madhurbond and its surrounding territories, including three lower primary schools, five middle schools, and a high school, the impoverished man with a large heart now wants to construct a college for his village pupils.
Ali stated that he met some kind people who were quite helpful to him. “I consider myself fortunate to have met so many wonderful people who have assisted and encouraged me throughout my life.” Maulana Abdul Jalil Sir, a former Badarpur MLA, has also assisted and supported me. He taught me that the world is meaningless without education.
When I chose to gift the lands for the schools, I had the backing of my family, particularly my sons, who never questioned my decision,” Ali remarked.
He is particularly pleased that all three of his boys can attend school and college.
Patherkandi MLA Krishnendu Paul, who recently visited Ahmed Ali High School to discuss the construction of a new classroom, described Ali as a “rare personality.” The MLA also announced a grant of Rs 11 lakh from the federal Ministry of minority affairs’ multi-sectoral development programme fund for the school’s growth.