Naren Hansda, a folk singer residing in West Bengal offers free access to education to many underprivileged people. Naren Hansda, also an eco-activist, has adopted nearly 30 orphans. He is also trying to convert barren and drylands into kush mini forests. He does so primarily with the help of the Mission Foundation of Sido Kanhu, his NGO.
Naren Hansda, A Musician, Eco-Activist, And Much More!
A Santhali community member, Naren resides in West Bengal’s Purulia district. In 2012, when he was just in class 8, he left Jahajpur, his childhood village to hone his passion for music. He took lessons from Lasaram Tutu, a radio artist. He started as a street performer but soon, his passion and musical skills made him popular among villagers across his district.
Thereafter he held concerts in many parts of WB and also in other states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi, Bihar, and Jharkhand. However, while performing one day, he received an unexpected request and proposition. The villagers sought his help and wanted him to support 4 orphans living in their village. That is how he started on the path of adopting and helping orphans across the state. Now, Naren has 30 orphans living under his care. Besides educating and adopting children,
Naren Hansda also fights for an important environmental cause. To this day, Naren Hansda has managed to convert a total of 43-acre barren land into a lush forest. He says heavy deforestation and loss of green cover have forced him to take this cause into his hands. According to him, humans are slowly killing themselves by killing plants and uprooting them.
Read: Reforestation: 35 Men Band Together To Make A 1850-Acre Forest On A Barren Terrain
He teaches the important role that trees play in our lives and in the life of our planet. He started with a barren hill where he first started planting trees. His adopted children help him plant saplings in the barren lands by carrying water bottles and other necessities beside him. Observing the consistent effort of Naren Hansda, even officials of the forest department begin to act and give importance to this environmental cause. Naren Hansda is not done, says he himself, that the picture has to be brighter and greener in the upcoming fifteen to twenty years!
Feature Image Credits: The Better India
