Alipurduar (West Bengal): Son of a small-time trader, Manish Oraon Minjhe from Kalchini in Alipurduar district has cracked medical entrance and set to join Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. The tribal boy from the hills whose mother spends most of the day in tea gardens working as a daily wage labourer would have never been successful had it not been for Superintendent of the Police, Y Raghubanshi.
Mijhe is not alone, this man in uniform, has opened up a new world for the aspiring and needy students of the districts. This officer, whose journey began with a dream to serve and protect, has now become a guardian, mentor and a ray of hope for the meritorious students who lack resources and opportunities.
“On behalf of the West Bengal Government and West Bengal Police, we have been taking several community policing initiatives. When we interacted with the youth of the state, we got to know that they were able to clear the physical tests, but lagged behind in clearing the written exams. This does not mean that they are not talented,” Raghubanshi said.
“The fact is that they have not got the exposure needed for clearing the exam. They are not aware of the syllabus and study material required to clear the exam," he added.
Raghubanshi, who hails from Hyderabad, became an IPS officer in 2016 after graduating from IIT Kharagpur. He realised that without proper facilities and guidance, even the most talented students would struggle to succeed in their exams. Thus came the idea to start coaching classes.
However, Raghubanshi knew that he couldn't do this alone. He needed the support of various voluntary organisations, friends and teachers from coaching centres to make it a reality. A network of dedicated educators and mentors was created with the single goal of nurturing the bright minds of the district.
“We cannot directly teach the students, because our job is policing. We requested some coaching centres and many people agreed to volunteer in this initiative. Some of my friends who were with me during my coaching days have also come forward to help. A few businessmen are sponsoring books for the students. We have opened some coaching centres," Raghubanshi said.
Under this initiative, students from Birpara coaching centres cleared several competitive exams. The more exposure the students get, more will be the success rate, the police super said.
In just one year of coaching, 25 students secured various jobs, and some even earned the opportunity to study medicine in government medical colleges. These remarkable success stories were a testament to the dedication of Raghubanshi and his team. They not only opened the doors for these students but also ignited a flame of hope and possibility in their hearts.
The police superintendent ensured that every police station in the district had arrangements for coaching, under the name 'Koshis' or Effort, covering various competitive examinations such as IIT, NEET and WBCS. His goal was to empower the youth with knowledge and skills that would enable them to secure better futures.
Recognising the need for connectivity and access to study materials, the superintendent made arrangements for online coaching classes and opened the doors of police stations to meritorious students, providing them with Wi-Fi facilities.
Speaking about his mission, Raghubanshi said, "I can never replace the 'master mashai' (teacher) but I can work tirelessly to help students reach their goals. It is our responsibility and duty towards society."
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“I never thought that I would be able to make it to a medical college and become a doctor but it is possible only because of Sir (Raghubanshi). No words are enough to express my gratitude. I also want to become a part of this mission and teach others so that they can also become successful,” Mijhe smiled.
