Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Sunday, 2 October 2016
40 - SWACHCH BHARAT ABHIYAAN of PRIME MINISTER MODI
Amitabh Bachchan is the face of the NDTV campaign for swachch Bharat and I was just watching the show. What an interesting debate, but so futile.
Mr. Bachchan, if you would walk along the road near your house, people would love to keep it clean maybe.
And ms Neeta Ambani, your home at Peddar Road is a fortress with an almost 20 feet tall wall, but when we approach it, just 10 meters away, there is an overflowing public garbage bin, and no proper footpath to walk. Not so long ago I visited your 'adda' and had a tough time reaching your barricaded home while very very expensive, imported cars zoomed past. You only want publicity with taking photo ops with public topics that you profess to support. Your very own security guards, holding their stenguns, spit randomly as they stand on duty and your outlets allow the customers to park their vehicles on pedestrian footpaths, caring two hoots for the public that is inconvenienced.
What hypocrites these famous people are. It only suits them to endorse some philanthropic issues and remain in the public eye.
Near my school is a very posh air-conditioned office of Mr.Owaisi. Large posters proclaim his ownership of the premises. But they flaunt all public rules. His driver threatens anyone who parks at the road opposite his office, his workers and visitors blatantly park their two wheelers onto the footpath, as a matter of 'hamara eelaaka hai'. I have personally picked up plastic teacups and vadapau wrappers, that his office persons have thrown out of his office and given it back to them, thus getting showered with the worst explicits that they could shout out. They come out of the office and spit and then go back into the sanctity of "the office".
E ward is just around the corner and yet, no one ever comes to fine the defaulters, And these defaulters are the shopkeepers in the vicinity. It is ironic that there are so many schools on Clare Road and the students have to walk along dirty roads and footpaths that are encroached with parked two wheelers and even cars, like the area near the Petrol Pump and the American Express Bakery.
The authorities who have to maintain the law, are absent from the scene. That is the tragedy of India.
Mr Adar Poonawalla, the mighty, you have beseeched to the public to join hands with you to keep the city clean, but that is not possible with almot one fourth of the people sleeping on the roads of Mumbai. At night, when I walked from the Grant Road station, upto Nana chawk, along the skywalk, I counted one hundred and seventy six beggars and squatters, sleeping along the skywalk. Where do you think these poorest of the poor, urinate and defecate, and cook and eat and sleep? They have nothing to do with keeping 'the city clean' for you and me. They just need to survive and they will do it with all the squalor and dirt around them anyway. The government needs to address their problem and provide them with sustainable housing. At present, these pavement dwellers are ignored and left to fend for themselves. They live in filth and multiply and add to the future generations of squatters. They will not become clean by magic. They need housing and counselling and education and help to lead a better life. Then Mr.Poonawalla, will India be a clean place. The have-nots must be helped.
Mr. Bachchan, if you would walk along the road near your house, people would love to keep it clean maybe.
And ms Neeta Ambani, your home at Peddar Road is a fortress with an almost 20 feet tall wall, but when we approach it, just 10 meters away, there is an overflowing public garbage bin, and no proper footpath to walk. Not so long ago I visited your 'adda' and had a tough time reaching your barricaded home while very very expensive, imported cars zoomed past. You only want publicity with taking photo ops with public topics that you profess to support. Your very own security guards, holding their stenguns, spit randomly as they stand on duty and your outlets allow the customers to park their vehicles on pedestrian footpaths, caring two hoots for the public that is inconvenienced.
What hypocrites these famous people are. It only suits them to endorse some philanthropic issues and remain in the public eye.
Near my school is a very posh air-conditioned office of Mr.Owaisi. Large posters proclaim his ownership of the premises. But they flaunt all public rules. His driver threatens anyone who parks at the road opposite his office, his workers and visitors blatantly park their two wheelers onto the footpath, as a matter of 'hamara eelaaka hai'. I have personally picked up plastic teacups and vadapau wrappers, that his office persons have thrown out of his office and given it back to them, thus getting showered with the worst explicits that they could shout out. They come out of the office and spit and then go back into the sanctity of "the office".
E ward is just around the corner and yet, no one ever comes to fine the defaulters, And these defaulters are the shopkeepers in the vicinity. It is ironic that there are so many schools on Clare Road and the students have to walk along dirty roads and footpaths that are encroached with parked two wheelers and even cars, like the area near the Petrol Pump and the American Express Bakery.
The authorities who have to maintain the law, are absent from the scene. That is the tragedy of India.
Mr Adar Poonawalla, the mighty, you have beseeched to the public to join hands with you to keep the city clean, but that is not possible with almot one fourth of the people sleeping on the roads of Mumbai. At night, when I walked from the Grant Road station, upto Nana chawk, along the skywalk, I counted one hundred and seventy six beggars and squatters, sleeping along the skywalk. Where do you think these poorest of the poor, urinate and defecate, and cook and eat and sleep? They have nothing to do with keeping 'the city clean' for you and me. They just need to survive and they will do it with all the squalor and dirt around them anyway. The government needs to address their problem and provide them with sustainable housing. At present, these pavement dwellers are ignored and left to fend for themselves. They live in filth and multiply and add to the future generations of squatters. They will not become clean by magic. They need housing and counselling and education and help to lead a better life. Then Mr.Poonawalla, will India be a clean place. The have-nots must be helped.
Saturday, 1 October 2016
39 - GENTS COMPARTMENT
On my return trip from the suburb of Virar, it was 9.30pm and so I travelled in the gents' compartment with my son, since it is just crowded enough to be seated, at this time. Also it makes no sense getting into a ladies' only compartment so late, and the gents' compartments are a safer bet, as they are more populated and one is not caught alone and unsafe.
I had to engage my mind in some sort of activity, so as not to nod off in the all male passenger bogie, which would be inappropriate for a lady to do. I undertook a survey of sorts of everything that was around me. The first thing I decided was that I would list the stations that passed, as I am not too familiar with the sequence, having spent my childhood in Pune. So starting from Virar, Nallasopara, Vasai, Dahisar, Borivli, Andheri, Bandra, Dadar,Mumbai Central, and then my stop, Grant Road. Having boarded a fast train, the journey lasted approximately 50 minutes. During that time, my survey of various statistics were logged by me. Since there was nothing to watch outside the moving train, as it was very dark, I observed the sights within.
And of course, the sounds too. The regular announcements of the approaching stations, with a warning in Hindi, Marathi and English, not to lean out of the open doors, and not to hang out, which so many passengers were indulging in, anyway, and also the jingle that was repeated exactly 16 times during the span of my journey. "Swaad sugandh ka raja, badshah banayeh badhiyah khaana,badshah masala, badshah rajwadi garam masala, pau bhaji, panipuri, chaat ka masala, badshah masala, biryani, pullav, cholle ka masala, badshah masala." It almost mesmerised my senses into whetting an appetite.
Intermittently, my audio senses were bombarded with some passenger behind me indulging in candy crush on their mobile. Looking around, I made a survey of how many of the 26 seated passengers within my view, were using mobiles, either typing messages, scrolling or wearing headphones and listening to songs. Fourteen of them were busy with mobiles, even standees, were viewing their mobiles in one hand and supporting themselves with the other hand holding the overhanging handholds. Watching their hands, I noticed that 6 males were wearing finger rings, and one of them was wearing a ring in every finger, hmmmmm. So I was then assessing the accessories that they were sporting on their wrists. Ten were wearing very large watches, five were wearing fancy bracelets, one had almost 6 shiny beaded rakhees on one wrist, two men had thick kadas, and nine males had orange strings tied on one wrist.
Watching the seated men was an eyeopener as to how males behave even in public. Two of them were very engrossed in digging their noses, obnoxiously, and one fellow was busy massaging tobacco in the palm of one hand, with the thumb of the other, and then carefully pinching it all up and pressing the lethal mixture into the lower part of his mouth. One old man was reading what was some sort of hindu prayer book. Two of them were chatting loudly.
The colour of the passengers shirts was very depresssing. Three were wearing black shirts, nine males had nondescript checked or lined shirts. Five were wearing some sort of yellowish shirts, blue and purple shades were eight of them, only my son was wearing a smart orange T shirt with a black jacket. Hmmmmm. Watching their shirts, I noticed that only three had used a pen as a style statement, adorning their shirt pocket. Only three were clean shaven, one was a very unruly bearded man, six had trimmed beards, and all the rest sported moustachios. Fifteen of the 26 that I was observing, had backpack bags, one had a large blue plastic bag and five of them were carrying their belongings in plastic bags.
Comparing the female travellers, I have noticed that they tend to snack a lot. They also nod off even while standing and travelling, and the mobile is of course an indispensable accessory for all travellers, irrespective of their gender. But when travelling in a ladies' compartment, colourful outfits, pretty earrings and necklaces, and nailpaint, stylish bags and hairstyles are more interesting to observe. And of course the conversations are also very engaging. Besides, the babies and children add an extra angle of interest to me as an observer. Often there are hawkers too, selling earrings, toys, bindis, fruits etc, and so travel time seems to fly, although one is pressed and pushed among a melee of screeching females, at every stop.
I had to engage my mind in some sort of activity, so as not to nod off in the all male passenger bogie, which would be inappropriate for a lady to do. I undertook a survey of sorts of everything that was around me. The first thing I decided was that I would list the stations that passed, as I am not too familiar with the sequence, having spent my childhood in Pune. So starting from Virar, Nallasopara, Vasai, Dahisar, Borivli, Andheri, Bandra, Dadar,Mumbai Central, and then my stop, Grant Road. Having boarded a fast train, the journey lasted approximately 50 minutes. During that time, my survey of various statistics were logged by me. Since there was nothing to watch outside the moving train, as it was very dark, I observed the sights within.
And of course, the sounds too. The regular announcements of the approaching stations, with a warning in Hindi, Marathi and English, not to lean out of the open doors, and not to hang out, which so many passengers were indulging in, anyway, and also the jingle that was repeated exactly 16 times during the span of my journey. "Swaad sugandh ka raja, badshah banayeh badhiyah khaana,badshah masala, badshah rajwadi garam masala, pau bhaji, panipuri, chaat ka masala, badshah masala, biryani, pullav, cholle ka masala, badshah masala." It almost mesmerised my senses into whetting an appetite.
Intermittently, my audio senses were bombarded with some passenger behind me indulging in candy crush on their mobile. Looking around, I made a survey of how many of the 26 seated passengers within my view, were using mobiles, either typing messages, scrolling or wearing headphones and listening to songs. Fourteen of them were busy with mobiles, even standees, were viewing their mobiles in one hand and supporting themselves with the other hand holding the overhanging handholds. Watching their hands, I noticed that 6 males were wearing finger rings, and one of them was wearing a ring in every finger, hmmmmm. So I was then assessing the accessories that they were sporting on their wrists. Ten were wearing very large watches, five were wearing fancy bracelets, one had almost 6 shiny beaded rakhees on one wrist, two men had thick kadas, and nine males had orange strings tied on one wrist.
Watching the seated men was an eyeopener as to how males behave even in public. Two of them were very engrossed in digging their noses, obnoxiously, and one fellow was busy massaging tobacco in the palm of one hand, with the thumb of the other, and then carefully pinching it all up and pressing the lethal mixture into the lower part of his mouth. One old man was reading what was some sort of hindu prayer book. Two of them were chatting loudly.
The colour of the passengers shirts was very depresssing. Three were wearing black shirts, nine males had nondescript checked or lined shirts. Five were wearing some sort of yellowish shirts, blue and purple shades were eight of them, only my son was wearing a smart orange T shirt with a black jacket. Hmmmmm. Watching their shirts, I noticed that only three had used a pen as a style statement, adorning their shirt pocket. Only three were clean shaven, one was a very unruly bearded man, six had trimmed beards, and all the rest sported moustachios. Fifteen of the 26 that I was observing, had backpack bags, one had a large blue plastic bag and five of them were carrying their belongings in plastic bags.
Comparing the female travellers, I have noticed that they tend to snack a lot. They also nod off even while standing and travelling, and the mobile is of course an indispensable accessory for all travellers, irrespective of their gender. But when travelling in a ladies' compartment, colourful outfits, pretty earrings and necklaces, and nailpaint, stylish bags and hairstyles are more interesting to observe. And of course the conversations are also very engaging. Besides, the babies and children add an extra angle of interest to me as an observer. Often there are hawkers too, selling earrings, toys, bindis, fruits etc, and so travel time seems to fly, although one is pressed and pushed among a melee of screeching females, at every stop.
38 - THE QUEEN OF THE SUBURBS
Today, I had to travel by the local train upto Virar for some official work. I only travel by the local train if I have to go very far, very fast, as compared to slow bus travel. Since I seldom travel by the local train, the experiences and scenes flash into my senses and get analyzed into statistics.
Although it was a Saturday, being a half day for most office goers and an off day for many academic institutes, the train was very crowded. But today, in the crowded ladies' compartment, a good samaritan actually offered me a seat for some time and stood all that while, and then even advised me as to the best place to stand, in order to avoid the onslaught of the incoming crowds that kept boarding the train upto Nallasopara. It made me so happy to have this empathetic lady share her seating time for a while.
The bad memory was when the train approached Bandra, the litter along the boundaries of the tracks was disgusting and demoralising and smelly. An assault on the senses. How can human beings live in that filth? The entire length of the track, almost one kilometer before Bandra station, is lined with slums and beyond their ramshackle abodes are piles and piles of plastic, paper, thermocole, rags, and rotting vegetable waste. Rats, flies and God knows what other pests are breeding in that area. Please please, Bandra residents, make the approach to your suburb clean and green. I beseech to all its famous and rich residents, the Bollywood big shots etc, all visitors need to feel a sense of the 'Queen of the suburbs', and you should make an effort to live upto its name. Mr Shahrukh Khan, you have recorded a TV ad about 'swachch bharat', but you only care for your bungalow and your home in Dubai, you must GIVE towards improving the suburb that has brought you fame, but it only has the shame of being a filthy public space mostly.
And then when Vasai was announced on the intercom system in the train, the nose and eyes had another stinky onslaught from a sewage oulet or a large 'nalla'. The only saving grace was that, the monsoons have turned the open areas into lush green growth. So wherever we can view the greenery through the moving train, it is so beautiful and clean.
The local trains are the 'lifeline' of Mumbai but all along the tracks are 'deathlines' of filth, poverty, garbage and open air toilets. Dear Salman Khan, you sent tankers of water to the drought-affected districts of Marathwada, yet you fail to notice the poverty and squallor of the poor in your very own neighbourhood? I feel that 'Being Human' does not mean that Mumbai only gets the expensive stores with that logo, but that you do the humanitarian work for Mumbaikars too, please. Do not forget that it is this city that has brought you your name, fame and where you have grown up. You could give back by maybe, building good homes for the railway line squatters. It will also be a more lasting contribution towards society, than the water donation that you had undertaken in 2013 to the drought hit Beed district.
October the second has been declared as THE cleanliness drive day for all Bharat, and there will be lots of photo ops by politicians and richie riches like MsNeeta Ambani and her ilk. But nothing really really effective at all. Nothing that would deplete their pockets, only silly whitewashed news stories, with brooms and buckets and expensive gloves, for maybe 5 to 10 minutes, just as long as it takes the cameras to flash. If only each celebrity or large company, would adopt the wards, then it would lead to concrete progress towards cleanliness. Mr.Amitabh Bachchan, you could easily adopt B ward, and it could be the 'Big B' B ward and compete with the Salman Khan A ward etc. And the great Neeta Ambani C ward, and the Katrina Kaif D ward. Not forgetting a E ward takeover by the great Kapil Sharma, he will of course then be forgiven all the 'gapla' he did at his Versova flat. And the likes of Anil Kapoor, who only want to rake in the moolah and the name and fame without any give back to society. You have launched your daughter and now your son, pray please do spend on beautifying the city that adores your every action and relative. Come on people, Gandhiji is still revered all over the world, you could be revered at least in your 'karmbhoomi'.
.
Although it was a Saturday, being a half day for most office goers and an off day for many academic institutes, the train was very crowded. But today, in the crowded ladies' compartment, a good samaritan actually offered me a seat for some time and stood all that while, and then even advised me as to the best place to stand, in order to avoid the onslaught of the incoming crowds that kept boarding the train upto Nallasopara. It made me so happy to have this empathetic lady share her seating time for a while.
The bad memory was when the train approached Bandra, the litter along the boundaries of the tracks was disgusting and demoralising and smelly. An assault on the senses. How can human beings live in that filth? The entire length of the track, almost one kilometer before Bandra station, is lined with slums and beyond their ramshackle abodes are piles and piles of plastic, paper, thermocole, rags, and rotting vegetable waste. Rats, flies and God knows what other pests are breeding in that area. Please please, Bandra residents, make the approach to your suburb clean and green. I beseech to all its famous and rich residents, the Bollywood big shots etc, all visitors need to feel a sense of the 'Queen of the suburbs', and you should make an effort to live upto its name. Mr Shahrukh Khan, you have recorded a TV ad about 'swachch bharat', but you only care for your bungalow and your home in Dubai, you must GIVE towards improving the suburb that has brought you fame, but it only has the shame of being a filthy public space mostly.
And then when Vasai was announced on the intercom system in the train, the nose and eyes had another stinky onslaught from a sewage oulet or a large 'nalla'. The only saving grace was that, the monsoons have turned the open areas into lush green growth. So wherever we can view the greenery through the moving train, it is so beautiful and clean.
The local trains are the 'lifeline' of Mumbai but all along the tracks are 'deathlines' of filth, poverty, garbage and open air toilets. Dear Salman Khan, you sent tankers of water to the drought-affected districts of Marathwada, yet you fail to notice the poverty and squallor of the poor in your very own neighbourhood? I feel that 'Being Human' does not mean that Mumbai only gets the expensive stores with that logo, but that you do the humanitarian work for Mumbaikars too, please. Do not forget that it is this city that has brought you your name, fame and where you have grown up. You could give back by maybe, building good homes for the railway line squatters. It will also be a more lasting contribution towards society, than the water donation that you had undertaken in 2013 to the drought hit Beed district.
October the second has been declared as THE cleanliness drive day for all Bharat, and there will be lots of photo ops by politicians and richie riches like MsNeeta Ambani and her ilk. But nothing really really effective at all. Nothing that would deplete their pockets, only silly whitewashed news stories, with brooms and buckets and expensive gloves, for maybe 5 to 10 minutes, just as long as it takes the cameras to flash. If only each celebrity or large company, would adopt the wards, then it would lead to concrete progress towards cleanliness. Mr.Amitabh Bachchan, you could easily adopt B ward, and it could be the 'Big B' B ward and compete with the Salman Khan A ward etc. And the great Neeta Ambani C ward, and the Katrina Kaif D ward. Not forgetting a E ward takeover by the great Kapil Sharma, he will of course then be forgiven all the 'gapla' he did at his Versova flat. And the likes of Anil Kapoor, who only want to rake in the moolah and the name and fame without any give back to society. You have launched your daughter and now your son, pray please do spend on beautifying the city that adores your every action and relative. Come on people, Gandhiji is still revered all over the world, you could be revered at least in your 'karmbhoomi'.
.
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
37 - THE POWER OF TEACHERS
TEACHERS AS LEADERS
THE TRANSFORMATIVE
EFFECT OF TEACHING ON SOCIETY
Education is
the strength that prepares learners for their annual examinations, and also for
life. And it is upto teachers to empower
young minds, not only with concepts of language, science and maths, but also
with values of human dignity, truth and
fairness. Most schools advertise the
final board results, boast about 100% pass confirmed and how some students score
the highest in a particular stream. So
parents strive towards ‘marks’ and pay through the nose, to let their wards
join extra classes, so that they can get the ‘highest’ grades. Learning outcomes based on marks gained,
are easily measured and widely understood.
In Mumbai, I
teach in an ICSE institution, with a co-ed student policy. Teachers here, as in any co-ed environment,
instill empathetic attitudes among students of opposite gender. Although I teach the primary section, there
have been many instances, where I have faced challenges, to sensitize students
about each others’ different needs. Girls are more gentle, compared to boys, who
have to be tempered to gentle attitudes during study and play time. This I strongly believe, will lead to good
human beings, better behaved young men and more docile daughters-in-law, will reduce acts of rape, or road rage and
dowry murders. But why has co-ed
education so far, not been successful in reducing such incidents? In my school, we have special value education
periods. Through the medium of stories,
assembly prayers, in house red cross clubs, interact club activities etc, students get a chance to experience social
issues and contribute in a small way to charity. We observe canteen day and collect funds
towards old age homes. Special days like
‘grandparents’ day’, parents’ day, let students and their family form closer
bonds. Such activities involve us
teachers, as resource persons, to set up the programmes, organise the
activities, which as a teacher, I consider it my duty, as it helps our students
to be socially more amicable. In the
words of Benjamin Franklin, “tell me and
I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Besides, the above activites, we directly
involve the adults that are connected with each student and so a wider spectrum
of society is affected in a positive way.
Very often, schools only emphasize on learning subjects like language,
history, science, ICT etc and the spiritual side is reduced to a mandatary morning
prayer only.
Successful
and famous persons in the world today are in varied categories. Steve Jobs was rich and philanthropic, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was famous and
empathetic. But the good examples are
few. How did that come about? That others are corrupt, greedy and bereft
of values and virtues? Some where in
their growing up years, there must have
been a catalyst that made them so. As a
teacher, I strive to be a catalyst of reform in my school environment, in little ways, and hope that the future
students will recall and be better citizens in our society, as adults. Even at the primary level, students do face
stress. A divorce, or the prolonged
illness of a family member, or some financial problems, or even personal
medical emergencies. In spite of these
hurdles, I, as a teacher, must be
intuitive, and allow them to make friends with stress. Stress has positive shades also. I empathise and help the student concerned to
change his mind about stress and thus allow them to change their body’s response
to stress. Maybe my tactics have been
instrumental in preventing so many hopeless and
impromptu suicides. I help
students to face their dreads and so learn to accept failure and also realize
that failure is transient and hard work does pay in the long run. A student who cannot write neatly or faces a
spelling block, is then my muse for the
effort that I need to put in to change that positively. I involve parents and his friends and
classmates, in subtle ways, to assure the change. As a teacher, I want to be effective, and not
too pushy. Mentoring is a very effective
way of transforming the teacher and the taught.
My school encourages mentoring to improve grades and behaviour. I have to be a mentor, or in other words, a
surrogate parent. A student spends 3/4th
of their waking hours with teachers, at school, and so an affectionate
relationship develops, when students have unshakable faith in the teacher’s
words. As a teacher, I can make a
lasting impression on the mind of the
child, by reinforcing appropriate values
and attitudes.The student confides in the teacher and thus realizes that there
is no problem that cannot be surmounted.
This will make them more tolerant adults of our society.
As a
teacher, I appreciate and whole heartedly participate in the good practices
that our school encourages. Public
speaking is encouraged and debates on current topics are held on special
festival days. India has a rich heritage
of intercaste festivals which provide a good platform to bring about communal
harmony at the school level too. In
simple handwork activities and displays,
as a teacher, I strive to inculcate sensitivity among students of
different communities. Especially the
Social Science topics of neighbourhood and festivals, afford a vast arena to
teachers, to let students experience and learn, beyond the book and the
curriculum. If the topic covers the main
religions, then I include the minor ones too, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and
Sikhs, are taught, then I encompass
some information about Jews, Parsis, Jains, too. In some way,
it widens the thinking limits of my class, as they realize the
intricacies involved in divergent communities,
and they realize that there are many more possibilities and traditions
and that all should be respected. If a
particular trait is ridiculed, as a
teacher, I feel it is my duty to make students empathise and cultivate an
inherent respect for the other community rituals too. I use stories, videos and drama, until I am
satisfied that the problem has been resolved.
This I sincerely believe will also inhibit violent attitudes towards
other religions and activities.
I strongly
believe that society is shaped by the education that young minds receive. Their future success is not only in good
grades, but the good experiences they go through while in school. So as educators, we teachers create
positive experiences for our students.
Experiences that will give them necessary lessons for life. Students
learn discipline, punctuality, organisational tactics, by getting a chance to
use these capabilities at the school level,
by hosting interschool functions, being fair while judging contests
etc. The young generation of India , on
whose shoulders the future of the nation rests, must be made to realize the strengths like truthfulness,
self-control, simplicity, humility, perseverance and gratitude. Theme assemblies and stories, based on these
virtues, is bound to impact the minds that are our precious treasures, to mould positively. In order to produce highly motivated and self
driven liaders of tomorrow, inspiration
has to be an integral part of our education.
As St. Mother Teresa had said, “let us do little things in a great way”, and she set the example herself.
If your actions inspire others to
dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. John Quincy
Adam.
This quote best summarizes what teachers who are leaders do, each day.
Dealing with children means teachers have immense powers to inspire and make a change. And with great power comes greater responsibility. Today’s
society is fast-changing. Children are exposed to all kinds of information at a
very young age.
Be it the internet where they can Google and learn things without having
to open a text book or watching movies and TV where they can learn about all
the news and trends around the world. Filtering this information and giving
direction to children so that they know how to distinguish good from bad, is
what teachers do.
Besides this, they also play a pivotal role in being emotional support
for students, some who come from broken families and some who have lost all
motivation to study. It is these instances that
make teachers the agents of change in students' lives.
I remember the one time I met my student at a mall. It was not the usual
school setting. He wished me and then hid behind his mother. The boy, a polite 6-year-old
child, was also an introvert. We
bid goodbye to each other and he went shopping along with his mother. I forgot
about our meeting and got busy with my chores.
But a few moments later, I noticed
the same boy, do something remarkable. He picked up a wafer packet thrown on
the shopping mall floor by an older man, walked up to him and requested
him to discard it in a dustbin. I was amazed at this child’s bravery. I felt as
if all the times I reminded children to ensure that garbage was to be thrown only in the bin , had worked like a charm on him.
This is just a small anecdote that showcases how teachers can bring
about a change in society.
Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai famously said: One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can
change the world. At a time when the world is facing international threats of intolerance in the
form of terror, it is only education that can mould young minds into knowing
that peace is the only way forward.
So
teachers have an indispensable role to
play in forming future society, and I am so proud to be a cog in the giant
machine that moves society and shapes our future world.
Saturday, 10 September 2016
36 - ACID ATTACKS
It is the sad truth that in India, spurned lovers throw acid on their victims. The girl suffers for no fault of hers, except that she was pretty enough to arouse the monster man's emotions. Preeti Rasthi died because of an acid attack at Bandra teminus, in 2013. The current news is that Preeti Rathi's murderer was sentenced to death but he was smiling in the courtroom and even threatened the family with dire consequences when he would be released. So, he is sure that the higher court will consider his 'youth' and a chance to be 'redeemed' and thus let him face a 'life sentence' instead. And a life sentence in India amounts to a few years in prison and then release. Such heinous crimes deserve a heinous punishment. The culprit should also be made to suffer an acid attack as a punishment. That would be justice and an impediment for future attackers too.
What riled me most when I watched this news was that his lawyer was a female, and she was condoning his conduct and almost announcing that he was blameless and that the sentence was biased because the victim was a girl? I sincerely feel that this lawyer should empathise with the victim and her family and should not have even represented the felon. Preeti was only 24 years old, young and pretty and perfectly healthy. She died because of the attack and now the boy involved gets a sentence after 3 years? The girl's old father is seeking justice for his daughter. Why did it take so many years for justice and that too, it will be questioned in a higher court yet. In such cases, one begins to doubt the judicial system and of course the typical response is that 'justice delayed, is justice denied'.
The latest victim of a gruesome acid attack is the case of 19 year old Reshma banoo Quereshi. Two years ago, this daughter of a taxi driver, was attacked with acid by her brother-in-law, when she was only seventeen. This year, Lakhme fashion week in New York, prepped her up and she was the show-stopper, at the event.
Laxmi Agarwal was only 15 when she suffered an acid attack by a 32 year old man, who she had refused to marry, in 2005. She fought for the rights of acid attack victims and even hosted a TV show to enlighten the public about the plight of victims. In 2014, she found love with a social activist, Alok Dixit and they decided not to marry, but to be in a live in relationship.
Why does a person resort to such a vicious revenge? How can you profess love and then want to destroy the person physically like that? I have personal experience about a couple who were so good together and then there was a rift because of family opposition. Then the boy resorted to verbal abuse, and physical abuse by throwing things at the girl involved. Thankfully he only used water and juices to vent his anger and frustration. He went onto make new relationships and I wonder how he is making the new girl in his life suffer, because certain males have a very bloated ego and they repeat abusive behaviour. It is a sad story for the girls that have suffered with him because they will never trust a male or believe in love, I'm sure.
Such attitudes should be changed during formative years by the parents and teachers. But school education only stresses on marks and not on forming characters. As a teacher, I have to deal with quite a few children from abusive parental relationships or broken homes. Such students do not perform well academically and hardly smile. It is a challenge that I face daily, to make them passionate about any school activity, so that it brings a smile on their face.
What riled me most when I watched this news was that his lawyer was a female, and she was condoning his conduct and almost announcing that he was blameless and that the sentence was biased because the victim was a girl? I sincerely feel that this lawyer should empathise with the victim and her family and should not have even represented the felon. Preeti was only 24 years old, young and pretty and perfectly healthy. She died because of the attack and now the boy involved gets a sentence after 3 years? The girl's old father is seeking justice for his daughter. Why did it take so many years for justice and that too, it will be questioned in a higher court yet. In such cases, one begins to doubt the judicial system and of course the typical response is that 'justice delayed, is justice denied'.
The latest victim of a gruesome acid attack is the case of 19 year old Reshma banoo Quereshi. Two years ago, this daughter of a taxi driver, was attacked with acid by her brother-in-law, when she was only seventeen. This year, Lakhme fashion week in New York, prepped her up and she was the show-stopper, at the event.
Laxmi Agarwal was only 15 when she suffered an acid attack by a 32 year old man, who she had refused to marry, in 2005. She fought for the rights of acid attack victims and even hosted a TV show to enlighten the public about the plight of victims. In 2014, she found love with a social activist, Alok Dixit and they decided not to marry, but to be in a live in relationship.
Why does a person resort to such a vicious revenge? How can you profess love and then want to destroy the person physically like that? I have personal experience about a couple who were so good together and then there was a rift because of family opposition. Then the boy resorted to verbal abuse, and physical abuse by throwing things at the girl involved. Thankfully he only used water and juices to vent his anger and frustration. He went onto make new relationships and I wonder how he is making the new girl in his life suffer, because certain males have a very bloated ego and they repeat abusive behaviour. It is a sad story for the girls that have suffered with him because they will never trust a male or believe in love, I'm sure.
Such attitudes should be changed during formative years by the parents and teachers. But school education only stresses on marks and not on forming characters. As a teacher, I have to deal with quite a few children from abusive parental relationships or broken homes. Such students do not perform well academically and hardly smile. It is a challenge that I face daily, to make them passionate about any school activity, so that it brings a smile on their face.
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