Varanasi’s Kaushal Kumar Mishra worked in the All India Radio as an announcer for 14 years. However, due to some political upheavals during that time, he lost his job. He was associated with an NGO and found his inspiration in working as an announcer at Godowlia intersection. Today, he has completed 30 years of his selfless service and continues to extend his support to reunite lost worshippers with their family members during festivals.
Varanasi: Kaushal Kumar Mishra has been devotedly serving the community for three decades without any personal gain. He is not only a responsible citizen but is also a compassionate guardian who reunites lost worshippers with their families. Kaushal Kumar is 70 years old, who used to work as an announcer at All India Radio. He shares that he has been helping devotees who get separated from their loved ones and reunites them with their family members through public announcements. Let’s read about his journey from Akashvani studios to Godowlia intersection.
Who is Kaushal Kumar Mishra?
Kaushal Kumar is a resident of Laksa area, Varanasi. He does his job of an announcer from the police booth at the Godowlia intersection. He has earned the admiration of the local community for his noble endeavours. Earlier, he worked at All India Radio for 14 years, and now he offers his services free of cost. He assists people during special festivals in the city, whether it is providing his assistance for Aarti (Prayer) at Dashaswamedh Ghat or helping worshippers visit the Kaal Bhairav or Annapurna temples.
Kaushal’s career
Kaushal earned a job at All India Radio because of his remarkable voice. From 1981 to 1982, he did radio programmes and rose to fame for his hosting. He even wrote exams for becoming an announcer and successfully passed it. Unfortunately, his career suffered due to the Mandal-Kamandal movement, as the vacancies grew less, and he could not apply for other positions due to his age. At the age of 35, radio work became scarce for him. He sought justice but only faced disappointment. Despite everything, Kaushal remained undeterred, and people appreciated his talent by inviting him to host events and stage programmes.
Kaushal’s determination
Kaushal Kumar’s journey took a new turn as he became a sought-after stage host for various events in Varanasi, especially for festivals like Diwali and Dusshera or programmes organized by the Tourism Department. Kaushal was already associated with an NGO; he installed a loudspeaker on a busy road to make announcements about the lost and found items and traffic updates. Kaushal continued his selfless service without any charges, and his popularity grew among the local residents.
Later, he received the offer of an announcer position at the NGO. With the support of people, he got four more loudspeakers installed at the Godowlia intersection. Since then, he has been serving as an announcer at the same place. Even today, he plays a crucial role in guiding and reuniting people with their families by making free announcements from Varanasi’s Commissionerate.
Kaushal’s daily routine
Kaushal Kumar Mishra has been tirelessly providing his selfless service during festivals since 1990. He shares that the first loudspeaker installed at the intersection broke, but he replaced it and continues his regular announcing duties.
His announcing work typically spans from 8 am to 12 pm in the morning and from 6 pm to 10 pm in the evening during the summer days. However, there are time adjustments during colder weather. During special festival seasons like Nahan (holy bathing) and Chhath, his selfless duty begins as early as 4 am in the morning.
Despite changing weather conditions year after year, Kaushal Kumar's dedication and style of work remain unwavering. To this day, his voice continues to resonate at the Godowlia intersection in Varanasi, marking the beginning of mornings in the heart of Kashi.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.