In every state across our nation, there are individuals whose selfless dedication to the welfare of the masses brings them to the forefront of public attention. In Odisha, one such exceptional figure is Sri Krushna Singh, whose unwavering commitment to uplifting the underprivileged has made him a revered figure in Koraput.
Since his arrival in 1961, Sri Singh has been an active participant in the Bhoodan Sarbodaya movement, spearheaded by Vinobaji, and played a pivotal role in the eradication of bonded labor, despite facing fierce opposition from landlords and moneylenders.
While his contributions to the Sarbodaya movement and the abolition of bonded labor are noteworthy, Sri Singh’s primary focus has always been on providing education to the impoverished and marginalized, aiming to integrate them into mainstream society. In 1985, he took the initiative to establish a degree college in Semiliguda, which has since graduated thousands of students, predominantly from backward and tribal communities.
Recognizing the eagerness of tribal students to pursue higher education, Sri Singh envisioned the establishment of an engineering college in Semiliguda to provide employment opportunities in nearby industrial centers such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and NALCO in Sunabeda and Damanjodi, respectively.
With the support of local business leaders, Sri Singh founded the Saheed Laxman Nayak Charitable Trust in 2001, of which he was unanimously elected as chairman. Under his leadership, the trust secured approval from AICTE, New Delhi, to establish the Samanta Chandrasekhar Institute of Technology & Management in Semiliguda, which has successfully placed many graduates in national and multinational companies.
Encouraged by the positive response from both local and out-of-state students, Sri Singh expanded the institution to offer diploma engineering, post-diploma in industrial safety & management, ITI, +2 science, and recently, an English medium school under the banner of Delhi Public Secondary School, inaugurated by the former Governor of Odisha, Dr. Ganeshi Lal.
Sri Krushna Singh’s relentless dedication to societal betterment, even at the age of 87, is truly commendable and has earned him the title of “Koraput Gandhi” among the local populace. We can only offer our prayers for his continued health and vitality.
Jai Hind!