A place called hope

Bursting with pride, eight-year-old Shravan Kamble slowly opens his little blue-coloured aluminium trunk to show you his prized possessio...

Bursting with pride, eight-year-old Shravan Kamble slowly opens his little blue-coloured aluminium trunk to show you his prized possessions 8211; two pairs of clothes, a bar of soap and a tooth brush. Not much, but for the quiet and shy destitute, it8217;s his whole world. A world that once lay shattered around him two years ago when his poverty-stricken parents abandoned him on the streets of Pune, leaving him to fend for himself. A world he has now carefully put together again, fragment by fragment, in a corner of the tiny dwelling called Saraswati Anath Shikshan Ashram Sanstha in Dapodi.

Even more heartwarming is the story of Prabhudas Shetty, who was found in Chinchwad three years ago 8211; rummaging through garbage for food. Today, the 10-year-old is a Std. IV scholarship student at the Hutatma Bhagat Singh Vidya Mandir, having stood second in his class this year.

And the man responsible for lending the all-important helping hand to these boys, who could well have become delinquents instead, is Devdas Laxman Survasi, a 37-year-old sweeper at the Central Institute of Road Transport, Bhosari. A man who earns around Rs. 4,500 a month and spends every paisa of it on his little orphanage sheltering 26 homeless children.

8220;The real reason behind starting this orphanage five years ago is that I, too, was an orphan. After my mother passed away, I had no one to turn to.

Nor could I continue with my studies since there was no way I could afford the examination fee of Rs. 30. Then famine struck my village, forcing me to leave it in search of a livelihood. I came to Pune but there was no work even here. Ultimately, I resorted to begging at the Pune Railway Station,8221; narrates Survasi.

Here, he came in contact with a good samaritan, who helped him land a small job. With his support, the boy worked his way up. Later, he also married the man8217;s sister. And today, his wife, 28-year-old Chabbubai Survasi, and he run this little ashram tucked away in a corner near Dapodi8217;s Pilaji Kate Chawl.

Three tiny rooms, leased for Rs. 300 per month, are today home to 25 boys and one girl 8211; all abandoned by their biological parents. While most of them have come here from various social organisations all over the city, many were spotted by Survasi eating from garbage cans or lying on the road.

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Today, they have a home with the Survasis who also have three children of their own. Other than admitting them to the nearby municipal schools, they also see to their food and clothing. Survasi has also been meticulous in maintaining records of every child8217;s age, native place and subsequent progress.

The children8217;s day begins at 6 a.m. After cleaning their room and little trunks, the kids busy themselves in filling up water. They partake a simple meal of dahi-bhaat before leaving for school. Coming home for the mid-day meal, the evenings are spent playing cricket, followed by some studies and dinner cooked by Chabbubai.

Yet eking out a living is not easy. Survasi remembers the times he could not go to work because of an illness. 8220;And there was a day when all of us slept hungry 8211; there was not a grain of food in the house.8221; Over the years, with help from some social workers and sympathetic shop-keepers, the food problem has been resolved. While Chabbubai cooks the children8217;s breakfast and dinner, for the past two months, Venkateshwara Hatcheries Ltd. has started sending lunch on a daily basis. Nevertheless, every penny earned by Survasi goes towards the cause, with his own tiny home in the next lane being run on his younger brother8217;s salary.

But perhaps the most daunting test is yet to come, with the landlord desiring the premises of the ashram back. 8220;There are places we could shift to but we have no funds,8221; says Survasi, who had taken money out of his provident fund five years ago to pay the deposit for the current premises.

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8220;If nothing comes up, I will shift them all to my two-room house,8221; says the man whose ultimate goal is to provide shelter to 100 boys and 100 girls in his ashram. Till then, his need to repay the debt he feels towards society propels him to continue the good work. And the biggest motivation is the happy smile on a child8217;s face on being given something that fate threatened to take away 8211; a chance to live.

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Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More