An Indian farmer from the hilly village of Piplodi in the western Indian state of Rajasthan has found himself in an unlikely spotlight. Mor Singh, 60, never went to school but his selfless act of handing over his house to the village school - after it was badly damaged due to heavy rains - has made him a local hero. His modest two-room residence now operates as an upper primary school attended by 50-60 students from the village, he says.
Last week, the state government gave Mr. Singh 200,000 rupees ($2,266) in financial aid for his thoughtful gesture. Rajasthan saw its wettest July in nearly 70 years with 285 mm of rain recorded statewide. On 25 July, a classroom roof collapsed in Piplodi, killing seven children and injuring 21 others, rendering the village school unusable.
Two days after the incident, Mr. Singh and his family, including his two-year-old grandson, moved to a bamboo-and-tarpaulin shack on a patch of land close to his house. He acknowledged it is not the best accommodation, but emphasized the importance of keeping children in school. If I had not taken that quick decision, many children would have dropped out, he stated.
Mr. Singh's two-room house took three years to build, and he moved into it with his family 13 years ago. The recent tragedy exposed systemic issues of poor school infrastructure in Rajasthan, where over 5,600 schools are reported as dilapidated. Following Mor Singh's selfless act, the state government declared Piplodi a 'model village’ to attract funds for a new school and other facilities.
Despite being labeled as a hero, Singh remains humble, saying, We are a poor community and have hardly seen any development. That’s why it is essential for these children to go to school, get an education, and accomplish their goals.
His noble act has turned him into a local celebrity, with community members expressing gratitude for his gesture, indicating that without his sacrifice, many children would have stopped attending school.
Last week, the state government gave Mr. Singh 200,000 rupees ($2,266) in financial aid for his thoughtful gesture. Rajasthan saw its wettest July in nearly 70 years with 285 mm of rain recorded statewide. On 25 July, a classroom roof collapsed in Piplodi, killing seven children and injuring 21 others, rendering the village school unusable.
Two days after the incident, Mr. Singh and his family, including his two-year-old grandson, moved to a bamboo-and-tarpaulin shack on a patch of land close to his house. He acknowledged it is not the best accommodation, but emphasized the importance of keeping children in school. If I had not taken that quick decision, many children would have dropped out, he stated.
Mr. Singh's two-room house took three years to build, and he moved into it with his family 13 years ago. The recent tragedy exposed systemic issues of poor school infrastructure in Rajasthan, where over 5,600 schools are reported as dilapidated. Following Mor Singh's selfless act, the state government declared Piplodi a 'model village’ to attract funds for a new school and other facilities.
Despite being labeled as a hero, Singh remains humble, saying, We are a poor community and have hardly seen any development. That’s why it is essential for these children to go to school, get an education, and accomplish their goals.
His noble act has turned him into a local celebrity, with community members expressing gratitude for his gesture, indicating that without his sacrifice, many children would have stopped attending school.
