Alok Kumar Barik, a second-year MBA student of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University, Bhubaneswar, is among those who love to spend their leisure time contributing to something socially relevant and beneficial to the society.
On August 15 this year, he and his teammates organised a blood donation camp supported by Go India and Red Cross, and made a record collection of 100 units of blood in a single day. He has also conducted a One Drive campaign for women, aimed at creating respect for women. “During the drive almost 7,000 hand prints were taken as a mark of support to women, to give them the dignity they deserve in the society,” says Alok, who takes inspiration from his mother, who is into several social welfare activities in Baripada.
The 24-year-old had completed Electrical and Electronics Engineering from KIIT before taking up the MBA course. His first attempt at helping someone was when he was in Class IX. “The son of a pani puri seller near the college was diagnosed with a tumour in his kidney and we, a group of students, collected almost `10,000 towards his treatment”, says Alok who is known among his friends for his helpful nature.
Soon after, he got involved in a blood donation camp. “Now, it has become a part and parcel of life,” says the boy who has also organised an IT-literacy camp in Saraswati Sishu Mandir and Sri Sai Anath Ashram along with his 25 teammates. They carried 15 laptops and taught the children basic computer training. “All the activities are being done by voluntary contribution from friends and like-minded people,” says Alok, who will be starting his own company Freetech Solution Pvt Ltd in January 2015. He feels that everyone must do something for the environment and for the people around them. “Even while studying, we get a lot of time to serve the society, but most youngsters spend all their time on social networking sites,” he says.
— prachitara@newindianexpress.com