Of determination and dignity
Undeterred by his physical limitations, Rashmikant supports his family of five by collecting milk from local farmers and preparing paneer (cottage cheese), which he supplies to restaurants and at feasts.
An electrician by profession, Rashmikant suffered an electric shock while repairing an 11 KV line at Peteipur village, 25 years back. He was 31 then. He was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack in a critical condition where doctors had to amputate his left hand from the elbow to save his life and his right leg was handicapped. What followed was a month-long hospital stay, with local villagers stepping in to help cover his medical expenses. But the real challenge of livelihood began after he was discharged. Earning a living with just one hand and a leg seemed impossible but Rashmikant refused to give up. Although painful, he began training to use his right hand and left leg to ride a bicycle.
Initially, he tried managing a small dairy farm with five cows. However, due to his physical limitations, he was unable to maintain the cattle and eventually, had to sell them. As an alternative, he shifted focus on procuring milk from local farmers. Today, he collects 350 litres of milk and prepares 60 kg of paneer which he sells in the market. He now earns between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 per month.
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