Everyday Heroes! Jagat

‘Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people to come alive.”

‘Bhaiya! Bhaiya!’ a young boy ran up to Jagat bhai, ‘Is it right, what I’m doing?’ he asked and held out a small crown neatly cut out from cardboard. ‘Its perfect yaar!’ smiled Jagat bhai bringing a sense of achievement to the child’s face. He grinned widely and ran back to his place amongst the 52 children all cutting crowns neatly from a stack of cardboard. ‘Give me cardboard and a pair of scissors and I will make a mess of it! I could never cut like these little designers here!’ said Jagat bhai modestly as he walked to where the children were sitting to fill the space that they had left him in the circle they were sitting in. With Jagat bhai by their side, the circle was now complete.

Jagat bhai, with his long beard and baggy clothes reminds you of a member of a rock band, or better still a biker who had lost his way and come to Manav Sadhna to ask for directions! But when you observe him with the children, you realise nobody belongs there like he does. So effortlessly does he motivate his little designers and so beautiful is the bond he shares with each one of them that time and again you see all the charm in him steal the children’s hearts. They laugh and sing as Jagat bhai runs around the room like a child screaming out directions on how to go about the craft activity. But how did Jagat bhai, a designer by profession begin teaching art to children here at Manav Sadhna? This was a question that kept creeping up my mind and in a bout of curiosity, I asked him. ‘My friend and I had come to visit the Gandhi Ashram.’ He said. ‘And while walking around, we saw some children at Manav Sadhna busy with some art work that they were doing.  

Art was something we enjoyed and so we went up to them to see what exactly they were doing. It was an experience that gave me new direction. These were the children of people who did menial work on the roadsides, children of daily labourers. They studied in different Municipal schools in the morning and came here to Manav Sadhna in the evenings to do some art and craft which earns them money. That day I went with a young boy as he walked from road to road polishing people’s shoes. At the end, he divided his money equally and handed me one half for having accompanied him. I was moved. I thought it only right for me to lend whatever little support that I could by virtue of being a designer and teaching these children little tricks of the trade so that they could fend for themselves better.’ This small visit to the Gandhi Ashram changed Jagat bhai’s life and today much to the joy of every child at Manav Sadhna’s ‘Earn and Learn ‘program, Jagat bhai is one of the main coordinators of the art programs at Manav Sadhna.



One of Jagat bhai's designers with a cap they designed.



‘My little designers set the house on fire!’ said Jagat bhai and I looked on as they did. The 52 young designers were indeed an energetic lot and I doubt that their optimism would ever change considering they have such a gem of a person for a mentor!

To Jagat bhai, for being the most caring guide and friend these children would have ever dreamt of...a standing ovation!