No PhonePe, No Google Pay: Odisha's 58-Year-Old Postmaster Gives Entire Salary to Save 2-Year-Old Girl

A 58-year-old postmaster from Odisha travelled 150 kilometres on his scooter to donate his entire monthly salary to a two-year-old girl battling Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Without access to digital payments, Bimal Kumar Sahu personally delivered Rs 26,304 to help fund the child's Rs 16 crore gene therapy treatment just days before his retirement.

A 58-year-old postmaster from Odisha has touched hearts after travelling nearly 150 kilometres to help a two-year-old girl battling a rare and life-threatening disease. Bimal Kumar Sahu, who works at the Pingua Sub-Post Office in Gandia block of Dhenkanal district, does not own a smartphone and does not use digital payment platforms such as PhonePe, Google Pay or Paytm. With retirement just days away and a monthly salary of Rs 26,304, Sahu nevertheless decided to contribute whatever he could after seeing the child's story on television.

Travelled 150 km After Watching The Report

Sahu came across a television report about Trishika, a two-year-old girl from Jajpur district who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2, a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. Doctors have reportedly recommended a one-time gene therapy called Zolgensma, with the treatment costing around Rs 16 crore.

Trishika's family has been seeking financial assistance and has also turned to crowdfunding to raise the enormous amount required for her treatment. Around Rs 6 crore has reportedly been collected, leaving the family with a further requirement of approximately Rs 10 crore.

After watching the report, Sahu decided he wanted to contribute personally. Rather than trying to figure out how to transfer money digitally, he filled petrol in his scooter and began his journey to Bhubaneswar, where the News18 Odia office is located.

“Instead of wondering where and how to send the money, I thought it would be better to go there myself and hand it over,” Sahu said. He donated his entire monthly salary

After reaching Bhubaneswar and asking for directions, Sahu arrived at the News18 office and explained that he wanted to help Trishika. The girl's family was subsequently called to the office. Sahu then handed over his entire salary from the previous month — Rs 26,304 — to Trishika's family.

The contribution may be modest compared with the enormous amount needed for the child's treatment, but for Sahu, it was a way of doing whatever was within his means.

“I may not be able to give as much money as this little girl needs, but can't I at least do my bit to help, just like the squirrel in the story?” he said.

A Simple Gesture Ahead Of Retirement

Sahu is reportedly only days away from retirement from his postal service job. Despite having a modest income and no access to digital payment apps, he chose to travel a long distance to personally deliver his contribution.

His gesture has drawn attention to the power of individual contributions in a situation where a family is trying to raise an extraordinary amount for a child's treatment. For Trishika's family, the fundraising effort continues, with a significant amount still required to meet the reported cost of the recommended therapy.