Dhubri: Kalidas Saha, a cancer survivor from Dhubri, embraced a new beginning at the age of 41.Over the past two decades, Saha has dedicated himself to planting saplings, creating roadside gardens, writing and staging plays on streets and stages, and teaching English grammar free of cost to underprivileged students.Now at 61, his enthusiasm and spirit remain as vibrant as ever.Having fully recovered from cancer in 2006 and been discharged from Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, Saha’s experience during treatment left a lasting impression. While battling lung cancer, he learned from doctors the vital importance of oxygen.“I made a firm resolve that if I survived and returned home, my life’s purpose would be planting and nurturing saplings into trees. By God’s grace, I was cured after 12 chemos and 24 radiation sessions in a year,” Saha said.A commerce graduate, Saha has long been involved in contemporary art and culture. He has written over 35 street plays, five one-act plays, and one full-length play so far. He also runs an English grammar school, offering free classes every Sunday especially for poor students. In addition, Saha has staged over 100 performances over the past 32 years.He conducts free English grammar classes in a room provided by a cultural organisation in Dhubri, supplying students with pens and paper. Two women teachers joined this endeavour.His contributions have been recognised by numerous institutions, including a felicitation and award from the Dhubri district administration on Independence Day in 2012.Saha continues to be an inspiring figure for those facing struggles, exemplifying resilience and dedication.
