With 20 rivers rushing down the Himalayas in full spate, Bihar just did not have a chance in August, 1954. About 10,000 square miles of land in the state was swamped, about 10,000 mud houses collapsed, crops spread over 300,000 acres were washed away and the lives of four million people were affected. About 50 years ago, the losses amounted to over Rs. 34 crores.

The scene was hardly any different in Assam. Homes of thousands were washed away by Brahmaputra, train services were terribly hit when the link between Siliguri and Amingaon was breached by floods at several places. Men and animals took refuge on tree tops and bamboo platforms, waiting for the flood water to recede. Women and children in worst-affected areas such as Dibrugarh district were seen searching for food. With floods inundating both the states for two consecutive years, the common man here bore the brunt of most losses.

In order to help those who lost their houses, crop and livestock, the Times of India Group set up a relief fund in August 1954.

Seth Ramakrishna Dalmia, proprietor of The Times Group, initiated the Fund with a contribution from his charity trust. As per a pre-agreed division of the collection, Bihar and Assam-the worst hit in the floods of 1954-got 40 and 30 per cent of the total contribution, while the other affected states got the rest.