Every morning, while most people his age may prefer to stay indoors and rest, an 80-year-old man in West Bengal steps outside with a broom in his hands. For him, cleaning the roads of his village is not a job but a responsibility he has followed for seven decades. Known as Ashok Dada, he has reportedly spent around 70 years keeping the roads of his village in Bankura clean. He receives no salary for the work and has continued the routine despite his age, health problems and years of physical hardship. What makes his story remarkable is that his journey began when he was just 10 years old. The story was highlighted in a video shared on Instagram by The Better India, which brought attention to Ashok Dada’s decades-long voluntary work. His story has since resonated with people as an example of quiet service without expectation of payment or praise.
A childhood shaped by poverty and a desire to serve
Ashok Dada was reportedly a bright student, but his family’s financial situation forced him to leave school after Class 4. Although his formal education ended early, his desire to do something useful for society remained. At just 10, he picked up a broom and began cleaning the roads around his village. What may have started as a simple act gradually became a lifelong responsibility. For decades, he continued the work without expecting payment. Every morning, he would step out and clean around two kilometres of village roads, helping keep the paths clear for people who used them every day. There was no fixed salary waiting for him at the end of the month and no promise of recognition. He simply believed that if the roads belonged to the people of his village, someone had to take care of them.His decision was not always understood by those around him. People reportedly considered him unusual for spending so much of his life doing unpaid cleaning work. Even after his marriage, his wife tried to persuade him to stop. But Ashok Dada did not give up. Eventually, his wife took responsibility for managing their home while he continued with his daily routine outside. The couple has reportedly survived on around Rs 3,000 a month.
He never stopped, even after falling ill
Seven decades of working outdoors have not been easy. Years of cleaning roads under the hot sun eventually affected Ashok Dada’s health. A few years ago, he reportedly became seriously ill and had to be hospitalised. For many people, such an episode might have been enough reason to stop a physically demanding routine, particularly at an advanced age. But after recovering, Ashok Dada returned to the roads and picked up his broom again. His decision says something about how deeply the work has become connected to his life. He does not appear to see cleaning as a temporary activity or a sacrifice. Instead, it has become his way of contributing to the community. For 70 years, he has continued doing something that directly benefits other people, even though he has never been paid for it.
A simple act that carries a bigger message
Ashok Dada’s story is also a reminder that community service does not always require money, an organisation or an official position. Sometimes, it can begin with something as simple as picking up a broom and deciding to take responsibility for the place where you live. His story is especially striking because he continued even when there was little personal reward. He did not receive a regular income from the work, and recognition came, if at all, much later. In a world where people often wait for someone else to solve problems such as litter and dirty public spaces, his decades-long effort stands out. He could have stopped years ago. Instead, he kept returning to the same roads, morning after morning.At 80, his hands may no longer have the strength they once did, but his sense of responsibility remains. Perhaps the most powerful part of Ashok Dada’s story is not the 70 years themselves. It is the reason he continued for so long. For him, cleaning the roads was never simply about sweeping away dirt. It was about looking after his village and making the path a little easier for everyone who walked on it.