President Meets Children From Dampara Vikas Samiti, the Orphanage Run by Kantha Singh of Jharkhand

The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil met a group of 40 orphans from Dampara, Jharkhand at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. The orphanage, Dampara Vikas Samiti was started by Shri Kantha Singh in 2004. Most of the children are from tribal groups whose parents have either passed away or have abandoned them. As time passed, and the news of his orphanage spread in nearby villages and people started sending destitute children from their villages to him. Shri Kantha Singh accepted them all. Himself a poor man with no permanent source of livelihood, he took to begging, to feed and educate the orphans.

Today assisted by six elder volunteers, Kantha is currently looking after 40 destitutes who stay in a thatched hutment without toilets, bathrooms and other necessities. The hutment is on private land and they can be evicted anytime.

The story of Kantha Singh first appeared in a newspaper. The President of India was deeply touched by the news report and desired to meet Shri Kantha Singh and the group of children at Rashtrapati Bhavan. While meeting the children today, the Hon'ble President handed over a cheque of Rs.50,000/- to Shri Kantha Singh for his orphanage. She also hosted a lunch for them at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Ever since the President expressed her desire to meet Shri Kantha Singh and his group, donations have also started pouring in for the orphanage from various parts of the country.

This release issued at 1645 hrs.