Rifleman Sakti Paul, an Assam Rifles soldier from Siliguri, West Bengal, is earning widespread recognition for running Vidyachaya Pathshala, a free school, and the ₹1 Janta Kitchen, an initiative that provides affordable meals to children and families in need.
While serving the nation in uniform, Paul uses a significant portion of his salary and mobilises community support to ensure that hunger does not force children out of classrooms. Recent reports indicate that he has written to the Directorate General of Assam Rifles seeking formal permission to continue and streamline his social initiatives alongside his military responsibilities, reflecting both growing public attention and institutional awareness.
His work reportedly feeds hundreds daily and supports underprivileged families with education, clothing distribution and blood donation drives, drawing appreciation from local residents and community members.
Serving the Nation, Feeding Its Future
For Sakti Paul, service extends beyond borders and battalions. Stationed with the Assam Rifles, he has quietly built a parallel mission rooted in compassion ensuring that children from economically weaker backgrounds do not have to choose between hunger and education.
Through Vidyachaya Pathshala, he offers free educational support to children who might otherwise drop out due to financial hardship. Complementing this effort is the ₹1 Janta Kitchen, where meals are served at a token price to maintain dignity while making food accessible to all.
Reports suggest that the kitchen now feeds hundreds of people daily, including children, daily wage workers, tea garden labourers and families of hospital patients in and around Siliguri. By keeping the price symbolic rather than free, Paul aims to foster a sense of equality and self-respect among beneficiaries. Nutritious meals often including rice-based dishes and simple wholesome fare ensure that children can attend school with full stomachs and better concentration.
Paul’s motivation stems from his own childhood experiences of extreme poverty. Growing up in Siliguri, he witnessed how financial instability and hunger shaped opportunities and limited aspirations. For many children, he observed, an empty stomach becomes a silent barrier to learning.
“If my efforts can stop even one child from giving up on education, I feel I have truly honoured my uniform,” he has reportedly said a statement that encapsulates his belief that national service must also uplift the most vulnerable citizens.
Community members describe his initiatives as a lifeline. Parents have shared that regular meals ease household burdens, while children benefit not only from nutrition but also from structured learning support. Volunteers and well-wishers have gradually joined the mission, helping scale operations that initially began with Paul’s personal savings.
From Personal Struggle to Collective Movement
What started as an individual act of responsibility has evolved into a structured community effort. Alongside the school and kitchen, Sakti Paul reportedly organises clothing distribution drives for underprivileged families and blood donation camps to support local healthcare needs. His outreach extends to marginalised communities, including tea garden workers and slum residents, who often face cyclical poverty and limited access to resources.
Recent developments indicate that Paul has written to the Directorate General of Assam Rifles (DGAR), seeking formal permission to continue and institutionalise his social work while in service. This step highlights the delicate balance he maintains between professional military duties and grassroots activism. While detailed official statements remain limited in the public domain, reports suggest that his humanitarian initiatives have drawn appreciation within official circles, reflecting how individual compassion can complement institutional missions.
The Assam Rifles, one of India’s oldest paramilitary forces, has historically engaged in civic action programmes in the Northeast, including medical camps and educational outreach. Paul’s independent initiative appears to align with the broader ethos of community engagement that security forces often undertake in remote and vulnerable regions. However, what distinguishes his work is its deeply personal origin rooted not in policy directives but in lived experience.
As public attention around his story grows, supporters have emphasised the need for sustained backing, whether through institutional support, local partnerships or citizen participation. Observers note that initiatives such as the ₹1 kitchen model demonstrate how small, consistent efforts can create large-scale social impact when driven by commitment and community trust.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Sakti Paul’s story reminds us that empathy is not a separate calling it is a responsibility woven into everyday citizenship. In an era when conversations around national pride often focus solely on symbols and slogans, his actions offer a powerful reminder that service is most meaningful when it uplifts the weakest among us. Feeding a hungry child, supporting education and standing beside struggling families are acts that strengthen the nation as profoundly as safeguarding its borders.
His journey also underscores the structural link between hunger and education. When children drop out due to poverty, society loses potential, creativity and future leadership. Initiatives like the ₹1 Janta Kitchen challenge this reality by addressing immediate needs while preserving dignity. They remind us that compassion need not be grand to be transformative it must simply be consistent.
