“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself—the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us— that’s where it’s at.”
Dedication
This biography is first and foremost dedicated to the love of my life, my husband, Mr. Manik Saha—my partner in every sense of the word. Your unwavering support, sacrifices, and belief in me breathed life into a dream that once felt impossible. When I had nothing but a vision and an empty room, you gave me strength. When the world said “no,” you stood beside me and said “yes.” You left behind your own comforts, gave up your own ventures, and poured your soul into mine. Everything I’ve built, every life I’ve touched, carries your fingerprints. This journey is ours.
To my parents, who gifted me the most powerful tool in life—education. Baba, your insistence that I study even when I doubted myself laid the first brick of everything I stand on today. Maa, your quiet resilience and constant care gave me the strength to rise when life pulled me down. You both are the reason I could dream at all.
To my elder sister and her husband—my lifelong cheerleaders and truest people. Your presence, advice, and love have been my safe haven in every storm. A special thanks to my elder sister and her husband, who guided me through the uncertain beginnings of my journey and showed me the light when I was lost.
To my in-laws, who, despite the differences, gave me the first space to begin my dream. That one room became the birthplace of an entire movement, and I hold deep gratitude for that act of faith.
To my dedicated teachers—you are not just colleagues, you are family. Your commitment has turned a dream into a mission and a small playschool into a thriving institution. This journey is not mine alone—it is ours, together.
And to every woman who has ever been told she cannot—this story is for you. May you find the courage to stand, the strength to persist, and the fire to rise. Let this be proof that no voice is too soft, no beginning too small, and no dream too bold.
Dr. Deepa Saha
Phase 1 : The Unseen Spark in an Ordinary Girl
“Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use.”
Dr. Deepa Saha was born on July 2, 1987 in a decent household. She emerged as the middle child in a family under the watch of her parents, Mr. Binoy and Mrs. Shikha Sarkar, who expected minimal abilities from their daughters aside from traditional behaviors in the home. Dr. Deepa Saha contained a strong aura, which went unnoticed during her childhood years. Dr. Deepa Saha occupied the middle position between her elder, responsible sister and younger sister, so she became both an unnoticeable observer and a bold individual.
Dr. Deepa Saha never excelled academically and was awarded her grades at the average level. Her emotional intelligence, together with her powerful personality, balanced out her lack of textbook excellence. She had an intense social nature, which allowed her to connect with everyone naturally while accepting different types of people and thinking. Her existence became known through her fearless attitude to both question and dream about living without following traditional expectations.
Subsequently, his father quietly wished for his middle child to become extraordinary while she was in school. She possessed a restless energy. Her father wanted her to work harder in school because learning offered both a necessity and also freedom through education. Dr. Deepa Saha showed no strict obedience, but she kept that dreamy expression, which hinted she would accomplish something remarkable in her future.
Her pursuit of a Master of Science in Botany redirected her path of life. She combined her academic responsibilities with familial demands to earn her B.Ed. degree because she yearned to bring positive change to young students as a teacher. Her marriage became the next life-altering event she experienced during that period. She committed to marriage with Mr. Manik Saha, who became her life partner to fulfill both their dreams through an enduring partnership. After her marriage, Dr. Deepa Saha discovered that her life developed differently than she had initially pictured.
Multiple obstacles stymied her ambitions to become a teacher. The traditional mindset of her in-laws created opposition to her leaving home during this time period. Dr. Deepa Saha was now a housewife who experienced more than job rejection when she received this denial, as it became an identity challenge. Teaching existed as more than her desired career path because it served as an essential life purpose for her. And so, the fight began. There was absolutely no theatrical flair in its approach, but continuous effort marked its profile. She maintained her position by using logical reasoning to explain her goals and ultimately demanded recognition of herself. She obtained authorization to start teaching within a school, after which she initiated a major transformation in her life.
Phase 2 : A Dream Built on Sacrifice
“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”
Dr. Deepa Saha turned four plain walls with one door into an establishment filled with the essence of his aspirations. The building carried a fresh paint odor alongside new beginning energy, which Dr. Deepa Saha loved when she heard preschool children walking in. Behind the doors of her simple playschool resided the forceful determination of an amazing woman combined with meager borrowed materials and an unreasonable belief.
Every morning brought a unique set of difficulties for Dr. Deepa Saha. She managed every aspect of her school, including floor arrangement and board setup, as well as day planning responsibilities, and she successfully comforted her anxious students every day. The school operated without benefactors like maintenance workers and administrators for support. As the head of her educational place, she cleaned the space, instructed the children, and provided leadership alongside offering friendship. She exhausted herself at night preparing colorful flashcards before stitching uniforms and making personalized posters, which decorated the walls. The establishment of her facility required both love and immense hardship from her. Every peaceful expression she displayed towards her students came from constant sleep deprivation and silent nighttime prayers.
The financial situation at the school was extremely weak during its initial months of operation. The money that came from only a few students’ payments was insufficient to keep the school operational. Dr. Deepa Saha refused to surrender against impossible odds when her new school was nearing collapse because of maintenance expenses. She sacrificed all the personal possessions she had left, consisting of her gold. She held herself composed while her body shook as she accepted money for all her belongings. The memories of those who owned or gave the items now dwelled within each bangle and chain. The dreams Dr. Deepa Saha envisioned for her students proved more enduring than the money she received for school.
Her growing ability to be resilient triggered a transformation inside her domestic life. Her husband, Manik, discovered through her achievements that her aspirations did not divert her from family duties but enhanced who she was as a person. At first he provided simple help, which transformed into a fundamental partnership between them. His involvement with the school surpassed functional responsibilities as he developed meaningful emotions toward the school. Through her perspective, he began viewing the school, and his enthusiastic discussion about her work created another source of confidence for her.
Support from him enabled her to see new opportunities. They began to dream bigger. Could this playschool become more? Dr. Deepa Saha started envisioning longer instructional hours together with older student enrollment and standardized education material development. Each new student admission clarified their intentions.
Phase 3 : Rising Through the Ranks
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
Dr. Deepa Saha, became both a school principal and teacher at a time when her educational facilities grew and students shared endless merriment through uninstalled hallways. The institution evolved beyond being a school under her hands since she purposefully molded an organization. The educational establishment Dr. Deepa Saha built advanced from a one-room improvised playschool until it transformed into an academic complex reaching students through class 10 while passing all convention barriers. But none of it had come easy. Her tale consisted of extended evenings and skipped meals while preserving hidden achievements among those she helped as she quietly touched their hearts and made necessary sacrifices that remained unseen by outside observers.
Dr. Deepa Saha now served as the principal of Sunrise National School, and she maintained the essential role that powered the educational establishment. Her work began when daylight appeared in the morning and continued until all students left after dismissal. Daily she invested her life force to develop the school ecosystem, which she treated as an extension of herself. She refused to accept rigid traditional practices in her leadership approach. Her educational innovations included modern teaching methods alongside flipped instruction and collaborative group work, as well as co-curricular education that focused on student growth. After normal working hours, she would meet her teachers to develop lessons that kept students engaged instead of drained with boredom.
Her management approach based its foundation on understanding and placing oneself in another’s situation. Rather than issuing desk orders, she preferred to connect with people by personally attending meetings while bringing lunch to the staff. She spent each day walking between students alongside her, listening to parent concerns directly, and saying their names. She treated every school member, whether cleaning or leading a subject area, like genuine partners in school improvement. Because of her inclusive strategies, the school became efficient while also earning its students’ deep affection.
Besides the school halls, she wanted to create changes throughout the wider community. Throughout her life, Dr. Deepa Saha maintained full awareness of the differences among people based on social status that existed in her environment. Too many children from disadvantaged homes stayed outside their school fence because they lacked educational opportunities. The image inspired her to develop a new purpose that would reach outside the school building.
She established the Sunshine Foundation for Social Work as a nonprofit organization with a mission to recognize education as a basic right rather than a privilege when she started the foundation in 2019. Dr. Deepa Saha established free educational programs along with distribution of necessary classroom materials and evening educational sessions through her foundation to serve children from low-income families. Her education projects extended past academic training by emphasizing training programs that specifically targeted youth. The organization introduced regular learning courses that included practical classes, digital literacy instruction, and professional advice sections.