Ganjam district is one of the 19 most backward districts of Orissa. As a consequence, apart from agriculture, it offers minimal employment opportunities. Hence, many people migrate to other parts of the state, and even to other states in India in search of work. Somnath Rana hails from the Sarankuda village in this district and is currently getting trained at Pratham Institute's Hospitality training centre at Sheragada, in Ganjam.
"My father is a priest, and as per the village tradition my family has to offer food to the God", he begins his story. However, for reasons mentioned above and acute poverty, Somnath's father also works as a machine operator at Surat in Gujarat. When he is at home for holidays, he performs the priestly duties, and on other days someone else from his family takes over. Somnath is aware that one day he will be his father's successor and will have to offer food to the God as per tradition. But his resolve to achieve economic stability and earn a decent salary brought him to the centre.
"I have studied till 12th grade. However, I wanted to earn money for my family. This profession has a good value associated with it, and hence I decided to join this course", he says. " I do offer Puja at my village, but this is not the only thing I want to do", he adds with a smile.
After completing his 12th grade, Somnath thought of pursuing a course in Hotel Management. However, the total cost of the course was close to 5 lakh rupees, and it was impossible for his father to gather this amount. Somnath was dejected and became convinced that he won't be able to work in a hotel. But a friend informed him about this course, and this is how he landed at Sheragada.
Somnath has joined the Food Production Department. More than what is taught in this course, he is happy to experience a change in his personality. He is glad that the teachers have taught him how to present himself to people and how to talk to others, and this has given a new direction to his life. He is equally happy about the basic training in the English language that he has received.
"It was a small world in my village. I had a limited number of friends. However, here my friends are from the different districts of Orissa", he says with a smile.
Where does he want to go from here? "I want to go to Mumbai and work there for a few years. That city has many large hotels", he responds quickly. "But I do not want to stop there...", Somnath pauses for a moment, and we eagerly look at him for the next sentence.
" I will give a part of my salary to my parents. But I will save the other part so that one day I can go outside India to work. "Duniya dekhni hain" (I want to see the world), he says, and we all smile.
"My father is a priest, and as per the village tradition my family has to offer food to the God", he begins his story. However, for reasons mentioned above and acute poverty, Somnath's father also works as a machine operator at Surat in Gujarat. When he is at home for holidays, he performs the priestly duties, and on other days someone else from his family takes over. Somnath is aware that one day he will be his father's successor and will have to offer food to the God as per tradition. But his resolve to achieve economic stability and earn a decent salary brought him to the centre.
"I have studied till 12th grade. However, I wanted to earn money for my family. This profession has a good value associated with it, and hence I decided to join this course", he says. " I do offer Puja at my village, but this is not the only thing I want to do", he adds with a smile.
After completing his 12th grade, Somnath thought of pursuing a course in Hotel Management. However, the total cost of the course was close to 5 lakh rupees, and it was impossible for his father to gather this amount. Somnath was dejected and became convinced that he won't be able to work in a hotel. But a friend informed him about this course, and this is how he landed at Sheragada.
Somnath has joined the Food Production Department. More than what is taught in this course, he is happy to experience a change in his personality. He is glad that the teachers have taught him how to present himself to people and how to talk to others, and this has given a new direction to his life. He is equally happy about the basic training in the English language that he has received.
"It was a small world in my village. I had a limited number of friends. However, here my friends are from the different districts of Orissa", he says with a smile.
Where does he want to go from here? "I want to go to Mumbai and work there for a few years. That city has many large hotels", he responds quickly. "But I do not want to stop there...", Somnath pauses for a moment, and we eagerly look at him for the next sentence.
" I will give a part of my salary to my parents. But I will save the other part so that one day I can go outside India to work. "Duniya dekhni hain" (I want to see the world), he says, and we all smile.
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