Kolkata: Home run by Netaji to reopen after lockdown on January 23

KOLKATA: The 97-year-old Dakshin Kalikata Sevashram — a home for 70-odd destitute boys — will open its doors to public on January 23, for the first time since the pandemic, to celebrate Netaji’s 125th birth anniversary. Several published and unpublished letters and documents on Bose will be put on display at the event. Netaji was the founder secretary of the Sevashram, while the founder president was Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das.
Situated at a corner of Sarat Bose Road, the Sevashram was founded in 1924 but had started functioning full-fledged after it was gifted 11 cottahs in the 1930s by Bose when he was the city mayor.The institution now runs the home for destitute boys, a free primary school and provides vocational training on electric wiring, tailoring, motor winding and computers.
“The pandemic had hit us badly and we were forced to send most of our students back home acting on central advisories. But we have got permission to reopen the centre and recall our students. This January 23, we will open the doors to public for the first time in 10 months to celebrate the life and legacy of Netaji,” said Subhendra Maulik, honorary secretary of the organization.
The Dakshin Kalikata Sevashram (DKS) was founded on March 11, 1924 at a meeting of the citizens of Kolkata at Mitra Institution in Bhowanipore for the purpose of establishing an orphanage. Nirmal Chandra Chunder was the founder treasurer. In 1934, DKS moved to its current establishment at 93 & 97 Sarat Bose Road. “Since then, DKS has moved forward to fulfil the ideals of its founders and thousands of destitute/orphan boys have been successfully brought up and placed in society by the institution. Acknowledging our work, the Sevashram was crowned with the national award for child welfare by the President of India in 1999,” said Maulik. Giani Zail Singh, the then President of India, visited the Sevashram on Diamond Jubilee Year in 1984. Also, Krishan Kant visited the place during the platinum jubilee celebration in 1999 when he was the vice-president of India.
To commemorate the 125th birthday of Bose, the institution has planned to put on display a number of unpublished and lesser-known letters and documents by Bose and open its doors to public from 9.15am till late evening. While Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, former chief justice of Calcutta HC and Bombay HC, will preside over the meeting, Srimat Swami Chaitanyananda of Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, and Biswajit Gangopadhyay, trustee of Sri Aurobinda Bhawan, will be the key speakers.
“The programme will be conducted keeping in mind the Covid protocol. The programme will be open to all and if there is a substantial rise in footfall, we may keep the invitation open for the next day as well. People can also attend the programme virtually,” Maulik added.