A teacher, writer, a student and committed social worker, Vidya Bharati alumnus from Odisha, A P Subhakanta - talks about his multidimensional roles to serve his society

‘To serve and create a positive impact one does not need a lot. It is just the matter of one’s desire to do so’ - A P Subhakanta

An alumnus of Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Keshab Dham Gatiroutpatna,Cuttack, Odisha (2013 batch), Shri A P Subhakanta juggles his time in between his role as a teacher, his passion for writing  and dedication towards social work. Recently he shared his journey with Vidya Bharati alumni portal team via an interview, whose brief account has been given here.

Interviewer: Can you tell us briefly about your educational and professional background?

A P Subhakanta :  I was fortunate enough to get to study at Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Keshab Dham Gatiroutpatna,Cuttack, Odisha, which is under BSE board. I studied there till my 10th board examination and then shifted to Gyan Bharati Institute of Science and Technology, Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha to complete my intermediate studies. I passed out in 2015 and then did my D.El.Ed (Diploma in Elementary Education) from District Institution for Education and Training, Kendrapara, Odisha. Presently I am doing my B. Sc degree (2nd Year) in Zoology from IGNOU.

From a very young age I have always wanted to become a teacher, as they are responsible for growing the next generation of Indian citizens. I can tell from my own experiences that a good teacher has the ability to change a student's life for the better. I could not think of a better way to serve my society. My parents initially were not in favour of taking up the profession , so I secretly sat for the entrance exams for D.El.Ed. When I got through, I went and spoke to my father and he finally agreed with my vision.  After completing my D.El.Ed. and CTET degrees, I gave interviews for the post of PRT in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Puri and got selected. I worked there for some time and then started working in Demonstration Multipurpose School Bhubaneswar which is under NCERT.

Interviewer: You had mentioned that you are interested in writing as well. Can you tell more about it?

A P Subhakanta : Art and culture is something that I hold very close to my heart. I had developed a passion for writing very early on in my life and wrote articles, poetry and short stories that have been published in various Odia newspapers like Odisha Reporter, Suryaprava, Nitidin, etc. I like to perform on various open mics events as well. I make it a point to take out time and nurture this passion of mine on a regular basis.

Interviewer: How did you become involved in social work?

A P Subhakanta : Being a Vidya Bharati student, we got introduced to the importance of social service from school days and I had developed an interest in the same from childhood. It was later after completing my schooling, I started taking an active interest in the same. It was then that I became a part of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). I joined them in 2016 and served as District Coordinator from 2017 June to 2019. The body is associated with several social projects. We organize blood donation and cleanliness campaigns. With ABVP we members organised a socio-cultural internship named as "Gramya Jiban Darshan'' which is known as 'Anubhuti' in other states.

After the severe cyclonic storm Fani that had hit Odisha, ABVP members from the state and from other states as well joined hands to reach out to the affected people. We distributed relief  goods and helped in clearing the streets of uprooted vegetation so that essential services and electricity can be restarted. 

Apart from ABVP, I'm associated with another group called ‘Khati Jamiba’, a Bhubaneswar based group. Under this group we often visit old age homes, orphanages and even we organised a seed ball plantation after the cyclonic storm Fani to make up for the vegetation damage caused by the storm.

Interviewer: Do you think that Vidya Bharati has had any impact on how your life has shaped so far?

A P Subhakanta: I feel that if you ask any alumni, he/she will tell you that Vidya Bharati schools left a positive impact on all their lives. We were not only given academic education, but taught everything that is required to become a complete human being, who is socially conscious, recognizes the responsibility towards his/her own country and leads a life of honesty, integrity and discipline. 

I still remember the values taught to me by my teachers, their dedication towards their students and honest towards their work. They have inspired me a lot and hope that I can follow their footprints when I interact with my own students.

Interviewer: Would you like to share any message with the Vidya Bharati community?

A P Subhakanta: As a former student I would like to tell the present student community that Vidya Bharati schools is probably the best school in the country. You will receive a value based education that will help in your personality development and teach you essential life skills. I would urge you all to give equal importance to your studies, hobbies, moral and extracurricular activities during your school days and it will be fruitful in the longer run. Always strive to become good citizens of this country no matter your future profession.

Vidya Bharati Purv Chatra Parishad thanks to Shri A P Subhakanta for sharing his experience with the community and wishes him all the best for his future endeavours. 

If you are a Vidya Bharati alumni and associated with any kind of social/ community service please fill the details at https://www.vidyabharatialumni.org/social-service-survey 

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