Cloudseeding compassion for a purpose
Sanjay Kumar Panda
November 4, 2025
After
the festival of lights “Diwali,” DelhiGovernment had attempted cloudseeding for
inducing artificial rains for reducing the elevated level of air pollution in
the NCR with limited success. Within the same fortnight an interesting
initiativewas taken up in Dehradun by a group of retired civil servants for
"Cloudseeding compassion,” which succeeded in making a difference
in the life of a common citizen.
This
real-life incident relates to volunteering support for a young lady, Ms.
MansiNayak, to enable her to continue her studies.
It
happened on the 30th October 2025, when Dr
Upendra Tripathy, (a retired IASofficer of 1980 batch Karnataka cadre) was
travelling in a taxi in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. In course of conversation with
the taxi Driver (Shri Jitendar Nayak), he learnt about a human situation
relating to education of daughter of the taxi driver.
A
brief discussion with Shri Ravi Shankar (his batchmate in Uttarakhand cadre)
based in Dehradunled to his visiting the driver’s family on the 31st
October and collecting bank accounts and other details of the girl.
Ms.
Mansi Nayak (daughter of the taxi driver) was pursuing a two- year Licentiate
in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) at the Alpine University in Dehradun
but had to drop out in June 2025 due to financial hardship. It was ascertained
that she had missed 4 months in the third semester of the 2-year (4 semesters)
programme. She mentioned that she was doing self-study and sharing notes with
her friends. By payment of fees (Rs 60,000/-), she would be able to join and
take the forthcoming semester examination. The family had approached a Bank for
loan but there were impediments and hesitation at the Bank level.
This
position was discussedamong Dr Upendra Tripathy, Shri Ravi Shankar, and Shri P
C Sharma (all three retired batch mates of the IAS 1980 batch). Initially an
attempt was made to get a study loan from a bank at Dehradunfor the residual
period of her education, but it did not work out due to the short duration (two
years) of the technical course for employment as Aircraft Maintenance
Technician.
This
led to an alternate idea for helping the girl, by crowd funding the amount with
each person contributing Rs 3,000/-for continuing her studies.
This
was floated in the WhatsApp group of the 1980 batch of All-India Service
officers seeking voluntary contribution of seventeen other officers with a
contribution of Rs 3,000/- each for meeting the desired amount of Rs60,000/-.
The officers were requested
to
remit the amount directly to the lady’s bank account (Mobile +91 85108 13156,
Savings Bank Account no 30908100000460, the Bank of Baroda, IFSC code
BARBOSAHDEH)
The
idea worked and contribution poured into the bank account of the girl far
exceeding the required amount, enabling the young lady to continue her studies
with dignity.
This is
a short but sweet story of cloud-seeding compassion and goodwill, where mutual
trust and confidence acted as the chemicals for accumulating the donation
amount. It was fueled by the positive mindset of looking beyond self, and the
belief that the donated amount will be used for a good purpose and will not be
misused. While technology (social media WhatsApp) digitization and online
banking played an important role, it is the positive mindset and attitude to
help others that played the critical role.
At the
personal level, it has been a Godsent blessing for the young lady, enabling her
to continue her studies and look for a bright future. For the donors, it is the
satisfaction of supporting a genuine and noble cause - assisting a lady for
technical education. It reminds of the great Indian culture, illustrated in the
episode of The Ramayana of "Tiny squirrels making humble effort - small
yet meaningful- by putting sand in making of the “Ramsetu.”
Written
by Shri Sanjay Kumar Panda Former Secretary Textile and President Shraddha NGO
dedicated to promoting handloom and increasing the earnings of the weavers 👏💐🙏
(Tripurainfo)
more articles...