Bhasker Sekar is no stranger to the concept of an uphill journey. As a teenager in Class IX, he supplemented the family income (his parents are tea estate workers from Tirunelveli), earning `30 per trip as a trekking guide in Munnar.
A few decades on, he finds it hard to believe that an adolescent hustle has transformed into a full-time vocation that has transformed the lives of 600 deserving children in the tea estates of this dreamy hill station.
His journey has been anything but breezy. As a youngster, he was left to fend for himself on account of his father’s worsening asthma, which involved frequent hospitalisations. With his mother in charge of the caregiving, Bhasker took on the role of breadwinner.
At 14, he under-took his first exercise as a trekking guide in the company of Edvin, a tourist from Down Under. The mod-est sum of `30 that was his guide fees, ignited an entrepreneurial spark in Bhasker, which would find fruition later.
Having discontinued his studies due to financial constraints, Bhask-er took up casual labour in Tirupur and later moved to Bengaluru’s garment export industry. A turning point came when he realised the importance of education during the formative years.
With an aim to turn around the lives of the children of tea estate labourers, who faced sim-ilar challenges, Bhasker began offering trekking and tour packages to friends and foreigners.
The earnings were channelled into supporting these children. Ten years ago, Bhasker sponsored the studies of two children; today, he supports around 600 students from Class I to IV. His priority is a group of youngsters from remote villages where ac-cessing basic educational resources is a challenge.
Their parents are compelled to travel far for bare necessities like pencils or notebooks, hindering the children’s education. Bhasker never solicits donations from individuals or organisations. His trek and tour packages are the sole source of funding for his philanthropic efforts.
To support his family, Bhasker continues to work in Bengaluru.
“Tea estate workers are paid a daily wage of around `400, making it impossible for them to travel 50km to purchase essential school supplies like pencils and notebooks. As a result, their children often attend school without these basic necessities. Thanks to Bhasker’s intervention, within two days of the new academic year, the children receive essential supplies,” says Sudakar, a teacher at ALPS Silent Valley School in Munnar.
The local community has taken notice of Bhasker’s work. Owners of resorts and tents and jeep drivers of-fer him discounted rates, enabling him to organise packages for about 3,000 people annually in Munnar and Wayanad. Bhasker’s initiative has also gone digital, with the launch of his social media handle, Munnar Memories. Through his inspiring story, Bhasker has shown that even the smallest actions can make a big difference in the lives of the needy.
Email your feedback with name and address to southpole.toi@timesofindia.com