Lucknow: Om Singh Chaitanya had all the comforts of life. From the security of a safe home to a good income, nothing lacked when looked from the outside. But from deep inside, she was always restless. The sight of poor people begging on the roads and children going to sleep unfed, tormented her. Her life got a thousand times brighter when she decided to help the people in need. She spends half of her husband’s income to provide these people with basic necessities.

Who is Om Singh Chaitanya?

Om is a resident of Prayagraj. Her father was an inspector in the Railways and her mother was a homemaker. She has three siblings, two sisters and a brother. Om earned an MSc degree in Botany from Allahabad University. She did her MEd and received a gold medal for her remarkable performance. Her parents were always supportive of her desire to gain more education. Further, she acquired a degree in Psychology. After her marriage, Om obtained degrees in Yoga Education and Naturopathy from Lucknow University. 

A family different from others

In other success stories, one gets to hear about a girl’s desire to receive education and their inability to do so due to lack of family’s support. In majority of Indian families, girls are made to household chores against their wishes. The situation is more prominent in the village areas and is seen in subtle forms in the cities. There is still a long to achieve gender equality. 

In Om’s family, her father was extremely strict about her studies. She was not allowed to do household chores during her study hours. She was taught to carry out all the responsibilities but not at the loss of her study. Even her siblings were equally dedicated towards their studies. Presently, everyone is working at respectable professional positions. 

In 2001, Om got an opportunity in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Shillong. Citing the poor political environment during that time, her father did not allow her to move to Shillong. 

A surprise on the ship 

Om was married off in the year 2002. Her husband was an officer in the Merchant Navy. She was with her husband on an Indian navy ship in Italy when she received the news of her appointment as a Biology lecturer in Navodaya Vidyalaya in Bulandshahr. When she visited the school on the day of her appointment, she was asked to submit a sum of money as bribe. This led her to rejecting the position; she received many offers after that, but Om rejected all of them. 

Living without regret

Om shares that she does not regret rejecting all the job offers. God had other plans for her, and she was destined to be in the service of people. Had she accepted any one of those offers, she would not have received the chance of helping the poor people. The satisfaction she obtains from her social service is beyond all the forms of luxury. 

Forming an NGO

Om opened her own NGO in 2016 under the name Chaitanya Welfare Foundation. So far, Om has helped over 20 thousand people. She receives calls from all over UP and goes out of her way to help people not caring about the odd hours. 

The funds

Om is deeply committed to helping those in need. Her NGO focuses on various essential areas such as the environment, providing food to the poor, organizing blood donation camps and ensuring the education of underprivileged children. She funds these initiatives by utilizing half of her husband’s salary and her entire pocket money. She does not seek any funding from the government however, the donations are welcome at her NGO.

During the pandemic, Om went above and beyond by delivering ration to at least 5,000 homes, aiding those affected by the crisis. She finds immense satisfaction in serving the less fortunate and has become a reliable support for many people. They feel comfortable reaching out to her during their times of illness, hunger, or trouble. Om feels gratitude towards God for giving her the will and strength to be of help to other people.