Creating a meaningful transformation in society does not require immense wealth or massive corporate backing, but rather an unyielding will and an authentic spirit of public service. In the town of Surajgarh within Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, two longtime companions have brought this truth to life. One of them faces physical disability himself, while the other earns a modest living by performing Hindu rituals and priesthood duties. Despite their very limited financial means, the duo has spent the last seven years dedicated to rebuilding the lives of children with disabilities and destitute elderly residents.
This inspiring grassroots initiative is spearheaded by Ashok Sain, who serves as the president of Divyang Aanchal Seva Samiti, alongside the organization's secretary, Jitendra Mahmiya. In 2017, both men made a formal pledge to help marginalized children with disabilities become educated and self-reliant. Since that day, their collective outreach has steadily grown, providing practical assistance, dignity, and care to more than 100 children and elderly people facing severe disabilities.
Funding Public Good with Pension and Priest Dakshina
The defining element of this humanitarian mission is that neither partner relies on major charity drives or institutional donations. Instead, they finance their outreach entirely out of their own modest earnings. Ashok Sain, who deals with physical challenges himself, channels his government disability pension into the organization. Additionally, the honorarium he receives as a nominated councillor in the Surajgarh municipality is also directed straight into providing care and supplies for the needy.
His counterpart, Jitendra Mahmiya, works as a traditional family priest, presiding over prayers and religious rituals. Every single month, Jitendra donates 20 percent of the dakshina, or ritual offerings, he receives from his patrons to the organization's operational fund. Their shared philosophy is straightforward: personal needs must take a back seat so that those who cannot help themselves receive vital support. Beyond offering stopgap welfare, their core focus remains centered on educating young individuals and training them in functional life skills.
Operating a Specialized School at the Town Bus Stand
Recognizing the severe shortage of specialized educational spaces in semi-urban India, the two men established the Jeevan Jyot Mand Buddhi Special School near the local market bus stand in Surajgarh. The facility delivers completely free education tailored to the specific needs of intellectually and physically challenged young learners. In addition to basic literacy, the curriculum includes foundational vocational training designed to foster economic independence.
Due to severe budgetary limitations, the facility is currently able to operate only five days each month. The organizers emphasize that if regular financial grants or infrastructural assistance were extended by the government, the school could easily shift to a full-time, daily timetable. Regular operations would enable dozens of additional children residing in remote rural settlements to access specialized teaching and daily therapeutic attention.
Personal Hardship as a Catalyst for Empathy
Ashok Sain often reflects that his personal navigation of physical disability provided the direct impetus for launching this movement. Living through accessibility barriers and encountering complex bureaucratic hurdles across government offices made him acutely aware of what marginalized individuals endure daily. That lived reality transformed into a mission to ensure others would not have to fight the same battles alone.
Both Ashok and Jitendra realized early on that families living in remote villages and scattered hamlets face severe isolation. A lack of awareness and nonexistent public transport mean many rural households never register for welfare initiatives or medical benefits. Bridging this critical gap, the pair regularly travels door to door across nearby villages to locate underserved children and elderly citizens, assessing their physical needs and managing their official documentation.
Assisting with Disability Certificates and Wheelchairs
A core service delivered by the Divyang Aanchal Seva Samiti is helping individuals navigate bureaucratic procedures to obtain official disability certificates from the state medical board. Without these certificates, marginalized citizens cannot access subsidized healthcare, legal reservations, or monthly welfare pensions. The two volunteers accompany beneficiaries directly to medical centers to complete these assessments. Furthermore, they procure and distribute free tricycles and assistive mobility equipment to individuals with severe locomotive challenges.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when daily-wage earners and families with disabled members experienced devastating economic disruptions, the organization provided financial relief and essential food supplies from their modest funds. Their constant priority is ensuring that poverty and geographic isolation do not prevent any person with disabilities from receiving their legal entitlements.
Building a Dedicated Shelter for Elderly People with Disabilities
Looking ahead, Ashok Sain and Jitendra Mahmiya are working to construct a dedicated residential shelter for elderly people living with severe disabilities. They note that seniors who endure both the infirmities of aging and physical impairments frequently face abandonment and lack specialized care when family resources fall short. Despite financial hurdles, their work continues uninterrupted. The duo remains optimistic that with state support, their special school can operate daily and their vision of a sanctuary for elderly disabled individuals will become a reality. Their journey proves that compassion and commitment outweigh financial abundance when striving for lasting social reform.
