BHADRAK: Physical limitations failed to deter her spirit of motherhood. The sole-breadwinner of her family, Smruti Das of Ankapada village under Chandbali block, is a lady with the strength of steel. Despite being differently-abled, she raised her children and grand-children all by herself. She looks after a family of five by selling tea by the roadside at Traffic Square. She is partially deaf and mute.
Life turned harsh after she left her in-laws’ house along with her kids: a two-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter. In 1975, all her belongings were damaged in a fire mishap. The incident had a deep impact on her husband, Amulya, who lost his mental balance.
Poverty and hunger forced her to take up work in a tailoring shop at Soro. However, she was not able to provide for her children’s education with whatever she was earning then. Thus, she decided to set up a tea stall by the roadside. She couldn’t get a room at Bhadrak Municipality market complex or take a store on rent due to poor financial condition. She had an unflinching determination to provide education to her children. She started her tea stall with a table, two kerosene stoves and about 50 glasses. She worked hard for at least 10 hours a day.
Smruti wanted to make her son an engineer. But, she failed in her attempt. Nonetheless, she is happy and feels proud for being able to provide education to her two granddaughters. Today, her granddaughter Shanti has become an electronics engineer. Another granddaughter, Sabita, is a student of computer engineering. “When I started the tea stall, I was 38-year-old. Today, I am 72. I have met the expenses of my family all alone,” she said.
Smruti got her daughter married and built a hotel for son. Her son could not manage the hotel. She had to bear all expenses of the family. Every day she opens her stall at 4 am and stands continuously for six hours during the day and four hours during the evening to sell tea.