He couldn't save his sister, so he chose to help needy

Time of India

4 days ago

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Chappra: Mantu Kumar Yadav (29) from Harpur Jaan village under Mashrakh police station area in Saran district has devoted his life to selfless service. Guided by the belief that selfishness is immoral and unselfishness is moral, Mantu has made compassion his life's mission.
The eldest among four siblings, Mantu remains a bachelor and dedicates his time to educating underprivileged children through an institution he runs in Chhapra called Diksha School. A recipient of the Indira Gandhi National Service Scheme (NSS) award, Mantu was felicitated by the then President, Pranab Mukherjee, on Nov 19, 2015, for his exemplary work as an NSS cadet of Jai Prakash University.
Driven by a deep urge to serve society, Mantu formed a group of like-minded youths called 'Face of Future India' (FFI), a name he chose to reflect his vision of the nation's future — ethical, compassionate, and youth-led.
His commitment to this ideal intensified after a personal tragedy when he was unable to arrange blood for his sister during a medical emergency. Since then, Mantu has donated blood 34 times and inspired many others to become regular donors.
He credits the then SP Har Kishore Ray, for supporting his early initiatives.
Mantu has also been the driving force behind organising national-level youth festivals in Chhapra every year since 2019, continuing through to 2025.
These festivals are more than cultural events; they are platforms for unity, leadership, and exchange of ideas among young minds from across the country. One such notable edition was held in 2022, where Supreme Court advocate Seema Samridhi, who had fought the Nirbhaya case, participated.
Mantu's work, however, extends far beyond festivals and blood donation. On July 9, during a visit to sadar hospital in Chhapra, he noticed a woman lying in the vehicle parking area, her legs having blood stains.
Initially thinking she might be dead or mentally ill, he was surprised when the woman, Lalsa aged over 30, narrated her story. A resident of Brahampur overbridge area, she had eloped with a man from her neighbourhood years ago.
After his sudden death, neither her in-laws nor her own family accepted her back. Homeless and abandoned, she found herself with no help or support. Mantu called the women's helpline but received no response.
Undeterred, he contacted Saran SSP Kumar Ashish, Sadar SDO Nitesh, and a few journalists. These efforts bore fruit, and she was admitted to the "one stop centre" under the Women and Child Development Corporation. Blood was needed urgently, and both Mantu and FFI member Arpita donated blood to save her.
In another act of kindness, Mantu helped a woman named Amina who had been released from Chhapra jail a few years ago but was left alone with no one to receive her. Mantu and his FFI team spoke to her, learned about her family, and arranged to bring her brother to Chhapra. They even provided train tickets for both her brother's arrival and their return journey, ensuring she could reunite with her family. Such stories of selfless intervention are not exceptions but rather the essence of Mantu's daily life.
He does not seek praise or rewards; he simply believes in doing what he would want someone to do for his own family if they were in need.