Satananda Bhattacharya/Hailakandi

The presence of Ahmed Ali, an unlettered rickshaw puller from Assam who has built a chain of schools in and around his native village, at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi has caught the attention of everyone. The Government of India has invited him as a special guest for his extraordinary services to society. 

Ahmed Ali has built a chain of educational institution from his earnings to encourage children to go to school.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Ahmed Ali, a resident of a rural village in the Sribhumi district of southern Assam, in his monthly radio program 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Ahmed Ali used his earnings from pulling the rickshaws to support his family and established nine schools in southern Assam. Due to poverty, Ahmed Ali remained unschooled, but he wanted to ensure nobody in his society had to remain illiterate.

Ahmed Ali has been invited by the Additional Director General of Aakashvani Mukesh Kumar to attend the 76th Republic Day celebrations in Delhi as a guest of honour. Ahmed Ali said he was proud to be part of such a solemn event.

Speaking to Awaz-the Voice, Ali said that Prime Minister's mention of his name in the Mann Ki Baat programme, it boosted his enthusiasm and strength to work. He said there is more work to be done to improve women's education.

The 88-year-old man is a rickshaw puller from Khilrband-Madhurband in Patharkandi circle of Karimganj district in southern Assam. Ali has donated his 32 bighas of ancestral land to set up the school. He put in all his savings from the rickshaw.

More than 500 girls and about 100 boys are currently studying in the nine schools he established.

Ali established the first school in 1978 by first selling a piece of his ancestral land. To establish the primary school, he accepted small donations from villagers. He hasn't looked back since. Among the nine schools he established in Khilrband-Madhurband and adjoining areas are three lower primary schools, five middle English-medium schools, and one higher secondary school.

Five of them have been provincialized and teachers serve on a volunteer basis to teach in the remaining schools.

Even today at the age of 88, Ahmed Ali is trying to establish a junior college near his village so that children of his village could go to college after college.

Ahmed Ali told Awaz the Voice, "With the guidance and blessings of the Almighty, I am on a mission to change the lives of the new generation. I am happy to be able to educate my children along with the children of our village. It gives me a lot of satisfaction that the students are now settled and working.”

Ali is married to two women and has 11 children. Ali never wanted to name the school he had set up after himself.

However, the name of the high school was changed to Ahmed Ali Higher Secondary School due to pressure from the villagers.

Ahmed Ali has received many awards and honours, and he likes everyone calling him a 'rickshaw driver.' He says all jobs have dignity. In March 2019, Ahmed Ali was mentioned in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat'

"I was speechless when I heard my name in the voice of the Prime Minister on the radio," Ali said. Prime Minister Modi praised Ali's initiative and said the rickshaw driver's philanthropy should be recognized.

Ali's selfless mission was first brought to light a few years ago by former Patharkandi MLA Krishendu Pal (now a minister).

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Describing Ali as a "rare personality", Pal contributed Rs 11 lakh from his multi-sectoral development program fund under the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs for the development of Ahmed Ali High School.