In brief
Mor Singh, a 60-year-old farmer from Piplodi, Rajasthan, has selflessly converted his home into a school to ensure that local children continue their education after a tragic incident rendered their school unusable. The state government recognized his efforts with a financial award, and the village is now designated as a 'model village' to attract further development.
An Indian farmer from the hilly village of Piplodi in the western Indian state of Rajasthan has found himself in an unlikely spotlight.
Mor Singh, 60, never went to school but his selfless act of handing over his house to the village school - after it was badly damaged due to heavy rains - has made him a local hero.
His modest two-room residence now operates as an upper primary school attended by 50-60 students from the village, he says.
Last week, the state government gave Mr. Singh 200,000 rupees ($2,266, £1,682) in financial aid for his thoughtful gesture.
Rajasthan saw its wettest July in nearly 70 years with 285 mm of rain recorded statewide. On July 25, a classroom roof collapsed in Piplodi, killing seven children, injuring 21 others and leaving the village school unusable.
Two days after the incident, Mr. Singh and his family, which includes his two-year-old grandson, moved to a bamboo-and-tarpaulin shack, which they set up on a patch of land a few meters from his house.
It is not an ideal accommodation, but Mr. Singh is willing to let go of his comforts for the future of the children, he told the BBC over the phone.
If I had not taken that quick decision, many children would have dropped out. The only other school is in a neighboring village, which is a two-kilometer (1.24 miles) trek in the hills. While the older students would have managed, the younger ones wouldn't have, he says.
It took him three years to build the house, and he moved into it with his family 13 years ago.
The 25 July tragedy in Piplodi exposed systemic issues of poor school infrastructure across Rajasthan. A recent government survey shows that more than 5,600 schools in the state are in dilapidated condition.
After Mr. Singh converted his home into a school, the state government has declared Piplodi a model village under a federal scheme. This would help attract more funds for a new school, a playground, a healthcare center, and other facilities, Ajay Singh Rathore, a local official, told the BBC.
Some 90 families, mostly tribespeople, live in Piplodi. We are a poor community and have hardly seen any development, Mr. Singh says. That's why it is essential for these children to go to school, get an education, and accomplish their goals. Mr. Singh's noble act has turned him into a local celebrity.
