Unmarried Chandramati is 'mother' to 22 children

Ranchi, Oct 5: Chandramati Oraon is unmarried and doesn’t intend to ever tie the knot, but that hasn’t deterred her from playing mother to 22 orphans who don’t know their biological parents. The seeds for her mission were sown when Chandramati, 32, was in Class 8 and took her baby steps in social work. She graduated in 2002 and in 2006 began what is now called the Anchal Shishu Ashram in a five-roomed structure in the Bada Talaab neighbourhood of this Jharkhand capital on a monthly rent of Rs 1,500. A trust was formed in 2011 to formalise the arrangement. The rent payments stopped three years ago as the owner decided he could do without the money. “The children are sent to government and private schools. We don’t have to pay school fees but we have to make arrangements for books, school uniforms, food and other things. We get support from people and NGOs,” Chandramati said, adding: “We want to increase the strength of the children, but a resources crunch prevents us from doing so.” Chandramati belongs to Bishunpur of Gumla district. She is fifth of six children — three boys and three girls. She comes from humble economic background and her brother, the late Chandresh Oraon, was a two-time Bharatiya Jata Party legislator. All her siblings are married and lead a good life. (IANS)