Meet the Kolkata teacher who transformed children’s lives in the Sundarbans with a dream

Satarupa Majumder, a teacher from Kolkata, has become a symbol of transformative education in one of India’s most challenging environments, the Sundarbans. In 2012, her journey to the Sundarbans began as a simple act of charity, but it soon evolved into a lifelong mission to provide quality, almost-free English-medium education to children living on remote, cyclone-prone islands. Today, her efforts have created a sustainable educational institution that serves hundreds of students and extends its impact beyond the classroom into areas such as child protection and women’s empowerment. Satarupa’s initial involvement with the Sundarbans stemmed from a visit by her aunt, who wished to donate a sewing machine to women in the region. Satarupa, eager to contribute, offered her late grandmother’s old machine and joined her aunt on a journey to Katakhali village, located in Hingalganj, an island near the Indo-Bangladesh border on the Ichamati River. The village, inhabited largely by beedi rollers, fishermen, and daily-wage workers, presented a stark contrast to the structured environment of Kolkata. There, Satarupa witnessed children playing in the mud or rolling beedis rather than attending school. Despite the presence of government schools, these institutions lacked adequate resources, and many children attended only for the midday meal before dropping out and entering child labor. It was during this visit that parents, recognizing her as a teacher, implored her to return and educate their children. Despite having a young daughter, a full-time teaching job in Kolkata, and a conservative joint family, Satarupa felt compelled to respond. A few months later, she returned to Hingalganj, determined to make a difference. Balancing her responsibilities, she began making weekly trips to the village every Saturday, traveling via train, rickshaw, boat, and auto-rickshaw. Teaching in the afternoon, she planned the next week’s lessons on the way home. Initially, she counseled parents to send their children to class and gradually built a small group of students. Using her own salary, she rented half an acre of land and established a makeshift school. However, gaining consistent attendance proved difficult, and the challenges of operating in an unfamiliar region were immense. A local teacher, who became an early supporter, played a crucial role in helping her earn the community’s trust, connecting her with families and eventually joining her efforts before his untimely death in 2016. With just 25 students initially, the school expanded to include Grade 4. When it became evident that students were being pushed back into under-resourced government schools, Satarupa decided to resign from her teaching position and commit fully to establishing a proper school, using her provident fund to lease more land and build additional classrooms. Over the years, the school continued to grow, adding more grades and attracting support from donors, board members, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Beyond academics, the curriculum incorporated activity-based learning, storytelling, and outdoor sessions tailored for younger children. As the organization deepened its roots in the community, it addressed broader societal issues, including child marriage and the abandonment of women. It launched child-protection and women’s-empowerment workshops alongside its educational programs. The organization faced a major test in 2020 during the pandemic, when it adapted by splitting students into groups based on smartphone access, distributing worksheets, and providing thousands of ration kits to struggling families. Following Cyclone Amphan, which devastated the islands, the organization set up community kitchens that served tens of thousands of meals over three weeks, even as classes were temporarily halted due to power shortages. This relief work drew the attention of local authorities and highlighted the growing impact of Satarupa’s initiative.