This Delhi couple left it all to bring football and education to Bengal's tribal kids

India Today

26-04-2025

In the chaotic newsrooms of Delhi, Biswajit Jha was living what many would call a dream career. As a sports editor in a major media house, he was rubbing shoulders with athletes, writing stories that millions read.His wife, Dr Sanjukta Saha, thrived in her own world too, teaching at a top management college. Yet, the call of home -- the dusty lanes of Mendabari village in West Bengal -- grew louder with each passing year.Biswajit knew what it felt like to study without an English teacher, to grow up without proper resources. 'I started learning English on my own when I was in the 9th standard,' he shared. The idea of giving tribal kids a better chance at life wasn't a fleeting thought for him -- it was a promise he carried in his heart for years.When their son was born in 2013, Biswajit and Sanjukta made a decision that would change hundreds of lives. They quit their Delhi jobs and moved back to Bengal, determined to build something lasting for the children of Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar districts.BUILDING FROM SCRATCHStarting small wasn't a choice -- it was the only option for the couple. A tiny rented room became their classroom. There, they taught English, maths, music, dance, computers -- everything they could manage. The response was slow at first, but word spread.Kids who had dropped out of school returned. Parents, initially sceptical, began to see their children's eyes light up with curiosity and hope.
With savings from their Delhi days, they bought a piece of land and built a more permanent school. But this wasn't just about academic scores. 'This school provides not just academic learning but also practical skills that will help children in the future,' said Dr Saha.They blended traditional wisdom with modern skills, making sure the children stayed connected to their roots while preparing for the wider world.FOOTBALL: MORE THAN JUST A GAMEIf there's one thing Biswajit knew from his years as a sports journalist, it was that India's remotest areas hid immense football talent. 'Talents in football are in the remote areas in the country,' he said.Having seen young players rise to the national stage, like Manoj Mohammad who now plays for ISL club Hyderabad FC, Biswajit was convinced Mendabari's kids could make it too.Four years ago, they started a football academy alongside the school. Today, some of their students are training with top clubs in Kolkata.'Mendabari can be a hot spot for football talents,' he said, and watching these children chase dreams on the field makes that belief stronger every day.
WHEN THE VILLAGE CHANGED ITS MINDStarting a school was one thing. Winning over a village was another.Coming from Delhi, Biswajit initially struggled to bridge the communication gap.'Working in a village you need to have the communication of a common man,' he said. People were suspicious. Why would someone leave a cushy life to work among them? Slowly but surely, trust was built.Today, the very parents who once hesitated now proudly send their daughters to school instead of marrying them off early. Girls are not just studying but also dancing, singing, and playing football. Mendabari is buzzing with energy it hadn't seen before.'The drop-out rate has reduced. Young girls, who were getting married early, are now studying, playing, learning music and dancing in our school,' Biswajit shared with a quiet smile.KEEPING ROOTS ALIVEApart from academics and sports, the school weaves in tribal traditions too -- through music, dance, storytelling, and art. Dr Saha believes that preserving culture is just as important as learning coding or maths. Children are learning to be proud of who they are, even as they dream bigger.
The school has also brought environmental lessons into its classrooms. Students plant trees, learn about waste management, and even try their hand at organic farming.Education here isn't trapped in textbooks -- it spills out into the fields, the forests, and their everyday lives.PAYING IT FORWARDRunning a free school and football academy needs money. That's where Epic Public School in Cooch Behar comes in. It's a formal school they run under the Rajganj Maa Sarada Shishu Tirtha Charitable Society.'The surplus amount which we collect from Epic Public School, we use it in the school and football academy at Mendabari,' Biswajit explained. It's a smart model -- urban students fund rural dreams.LOOKING TO THE FUTUREThe journey has only just begun. Biswajit dreams of scaling up -- finding corporate sponsors, starting livelihood programmes for the villagers, and replicating Mendabari's success across other tribal villages.'Mendabari is one of the poorest villages in India,' he said, but there's rich potential waiting to be unlocked.From a small room with a few students to a vibrant centre of learning and sports, Biswajit and Sanjukta's journey is a reminder that real change doesn't always start with huge grants or flashy campaigns.Sometimes, it starts with two people, a bit of savings, and a stubborn belief that things can be better.And in Mendabari, that belief is now growing strong -- one child, one football, and one song at a time.
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