Jharkhand: Hare Ram Pandey is the founder of Narayan Seva Ashram in Krishnapuram, Deoghar, Jharkhand. He is the guardian to 35 orphaned children. Recounting the events that prompted him to establish an organization, Hare Ram shares that at the age of 45, he visited Baba Baijnath. One day, after meditation, he witnessed commotion around him. Upon investigation, he found out that a newborn girl had been left abandoned in the bushes. The infant was found in a heart wrenching state, and due to the lack of nutrition, she had slipped into a coma. 

Hare Ram’s journey

Hare Ram quickly checked for the infant’s pulse. He removed the ants from her body and rushed her for medical treatment. The treatment was costly and due to lack of funds, he had to borrow Rs 25 thousand from someone. Initially, the doctor expressed concerns about the baby’s survival. However, the girl miraculously survived after receiving treatment. This brought immense joy to Hare Ram and his wife. 

Bhawani Devi, Hare Ram’s wife, suggested organizing an Akhand Kirtan to celebrate the girl child’s birthday. The house was decorated with flowers and garlands. It was 9 December 2004, and early that morning, a neighbour called Hare Ram in a frenzy, informing him about another newborn that had been abandoned nearby. The couple rushed to the scene and found the newborn lying unclothed in the cold. They managed to get her to a doctor in time, and she survived. Now, both girls share the same birthday. 

Narayan Seva Ashram Trust

These two incidents prompted Hare Ram to establish an organization to take care for the abandoned children. He discussed the idea with his wife and received full support from her. With the assistance of the then DC Mastram Meena, Narayan Seva Ashram Trust was established.

Hare Ram Pandey struggled to ensure the well-being of children at the ashram in the initial days. He would reach out to 10-20 people daily in search of food supplies for the children since his income was insufficient. There were days when they could not even afford a day’s meal. Today, the organization has completed 23 years. Until last year, Hare Ram had 35 children in his care. There are three boys, and the rest are girls. He has also married off four of the girls in well-off families.

Financial challenges

The challenges grew as the girls matured. With no steady income, Hare Ram made the difficult decision to sell his land to finance the construction of a house for the children. Over time, he sold all of his land, sacrificing everything for the well-being of the kids. 

As the children grew older, Hare Ram began to worry about their education. Fortunately, a local school waived off fee for the children due to Hare Ram’s social service. However, expenses for uniform, shoes, and socks had to be covered by Hare Ram. He shares that currently two daughters aspire to become doctors, while another is preparing for IPS services. 

 Another challenge that he faced was providing the family’s information for the kids’ enrolment in schools. To address this issue, Hare Ram assumed the role of father for all the children. All the identity cards of the children read Hare Ram as their father. 

Recognition

When the KBC team (Kaun Banega Crorepati), a game-based show, learned about Hare Ram’s noble work, he was invited to Mumbai for an episode. This moment changed Hare Ram’s life entirely. He sat on the hot seat opposite Amitabh Bachchan and shared his heartfelt journey of adopting orphaned daughters. Subsequently, the show honoured him for his dedication and with the winning amount, he was able to build a home for the children. Following his appearance on KBC, people from across the country learned about his inspiring journey, leading to an outpouring of support. 

Hare Ram was honoured by KBC on 16 October 2023. For him, there is no greater form of worship than serving these daughters, which has become the essence of his life.