RAJASTHAN: At 95, Mathematician Dr Ghasiram Verma is full of enthusiasm. The nonagenarian, originally hailing from Sidi village of Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, is called a ‘crorepati fakir’ because he spent almost everything on girl child education.
Today, thousands of girls have access to good education with his help and many school buildings have come up with his donations. Dr Ghasiram Verma has settled in America, but visits India for three months every year and spends Rs 50 lakh — half of his pension funds—on educating girls. So far, he has spent over Rs 10 crore on educating girls in his area.
His mission is not restricted to Jhunjhunu. “I help students all over Rajasthan through 28 hostels, 21 colleges and schools and 18 charitable institutions because education is very important for an aware society. I don’t select individuals needing my assistance. Instead, I send money to the heads of the colleges and schools and they select the recipient. I do not keep an account of the charity, but I am told it is close to `11 crore now,” says Dr Verma.
Dr Verma faced difficulties in studies, as his family did not have enough money. He somehow completed his studies with scholarship money. There was no education facility in his village at that time. Though his school was about 5km from home, he attended classes diligently, and was awarded a scholarship that eased his pressure for money. He was exceptionally good in math, so he took up a few tuitions.
After graduating in mathematics in 1950, he started teaching children in a school and got Rs 100 as his first salary. Despite getting a job, he continued his studies and even his MA and PhD. In June 1958, he left for the US to serve as Professor of Mathematics at Rhode Island University in Kingston City, New York. Soon, he started earning $400.
Recalling his tough childhood, Dr Verma says there was no facility to study in his village. “I studied with the help of social workers and some Seth-Sahukars of Shekhawati region. I reached Pilani and with mathematics as my favourite subject, my educational journey continued. When I completed my PhD in 1957, I became the first Indian to teach the subject at the New York University.”
Dr Ghasiram Verma retired about 20 years ago, and receives almost Rs 68 lakh as annual pension and from his investments. Out of this, he donates about Rs 50 lakh in India every year to promote girl child education.
The turning point in his life came in 1981. “I came to Jhunjhunu and saw a group of young students waiting for a bus in the scorching sun to go to their village. When I asked some of those girls at Mandawa town, I came to know that they came to the city to study, but there was no facility to stay there”.
That day, he thought of building a hostel in Jhunjhunu, which has now grown into Maharishi Dayanand Girls PG Science College. Around 1,800 girls are studying here at a nominal fee, and others are studying on scholarships in other schools set up with his donations.