Monday, October 19, 2009

Save Energy, Save Money!

Save Energy, Save Money!

Energy is the most sought after commodity in the modern world. With the increasing population, industries and technology, the demand for energy is on the rise by the day. But to this day, the world is still dependent on conventional resources like coal and natural oil to a large extent. Alternative energy sources like hydel energy and nuclear energy have not yet become a complete substitute the energy needs. While the scientists still exploring the possibilities of alternatives, the energy consumption is continuing at an alarming scale. This creates a situation that makes everyone anxious about the future of the world. It is quite possible that today’s thoughtless consumption is going to make life miserable for the future generations. Apart from the scarcity viewpoint, another aspect that causes worry is the pollution of atmosphere due to the green house emission. This is a direct consequence of our dependence on conventional energy resources. It is time every one focused on this issue and looked for remedies. The responsibility rests with all of us to make a small contribution to the process of saving resources for the future generations by saving energy in our own small way.

An American family spends about two thousand dollars a year on power bills. The unfortunate thing is that a large part is this energy is actually wasted. If we were a little sensible, it is possible to cut down the consumption to a significant extent. It just calls for a little attention to small things.

For example, we can use programmable thermostats in homes which will keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. This reduces the use of air conditioners. By using solar panels, we can do away with electric heaters and geysers. Tube lights can be replaced by compact fluorescent bulbs. Dishes can be air dried and the use of dish washers can be limited to emergencies. We must make it a point to turn off computers and monitors when they are not in use. Washing machines must be used only with full loads of clothes. By driving steadily and avoiding aggressive driving, lot of gasoline can be saved.

This kind of energy-saving measures can not only make life more comfortably but also bring down the utility bills considerably. This apart, it is a great service to a cause that needs to be addressed urgently.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Quotes

To laugh often and much

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children

To earn the appreciation of honest critics

And endure the betrayal of false friends

To appreciate beauty

To find the best in others

To leave the world a bit better

Whether by a healthy child, a garden patch

Or a redeemed social condition

To know even one life has breathed easier

Because you have lived

That is to have succeeded in life

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

He jests at scars that never felt a wound. (Shakespeare)

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but we wait so long to begin it.

Leaders don’t do different things. They do things differently. (This is the sub-title of Shiv Khera's bestseller 'You can Win')

The man who has a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.

God created us with two ends – one to sit on and the other to think with. Success or failure in life depends on which end we use most.

You will remain young as long as you are willing to learn new things and don’t mind being contradicted.

Old age is when memories outweigh dreams.

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child or by a garden patch or by a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you ever lived; that is to have succeeded in life. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the ONLY thing. (Albert Schweitzer)

The greatest wealth that we can give our children is good habits.

Attitude is to a man what hydrogen is to a balloon.*

Some of the greatest feats in the world were accomplished by people who weren’t smart enough to know they were impossible.

Every morning, in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning, in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you had better be running. (From 'Corporate Truths')

If you are in the right, you needn’t lose your temper. If you are in the wrong, you have no right to. (Gandhi)

When you rise, your friends will know what you are. When you fall, you will know who your friends are.

Don’t count the things you do. Do the things that count.

What matters is not adding years to your life, but adding life to your years.

When everything is lost, tomorrow still remains.

Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot. Make it hot by striking.

The glory lies not in never falling but in rising every time one falls.

Every artist was first an amateur.

Losers do what’s tension-relieving. Winners do what’s goal-achieving.

When you are facing the sun, you can’t see the shadows. (Helen Keller)

It is not necessary for you to become a great man. It is enough if you can become a man. (Confucius)

Reputation is what the world talks about you. Character is what the gods know about you.

Two things that you should never worry about: (1) things that are in your control (2) things that are not in your control

Cooperation is doing with a smile what you have to do anyhow.

Much of good manners is about knowing when to pretend what’s happening is not happening.

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

Life is mostly froth and bubble

Two things stand like stone

Kindness in another’s trouble

Courage in your own (Adam Lindsay Gordon)

The woods are lovely, dark and deep

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep (Robert Frost)

Freedom, happiness, health and success are all one and the same thing.*

No one can hurt you without your consent.

The busiest man is the happiest man.

Dealing with people is like digging for gold. You pick up the gold and discard the dirt. (From 'You can Win')

Do unto others as you would like others do unto you. (Maha Bharat)

You only live once, but once is enough if you live it right.

Imitation is the best form of flattery.

We cannot change the world. But we can change.

Never be a lender, nor a borrower be, for a loan oft loseth both friend and itself and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. (Shakespeare)

It takes two to speak the truth. (Henry David Thoreau)

It’s funny that people talk about killing time without realizing that it’s ultimately time that kills them all.

Twenty years from now, you will be disappointed more by the things that you didn’t do than by the things you did.

Don’t take life too seriously. You are never going to get out of it alive.

I never think of the future, it comes soon enough.

I think, therefore I am. (Rene Descartes, mathematician)

No defeat is final unless you give up.

Temper is a quality which at a critical moment brings out the best in steel and the worst in people. (Mark Twain)

Minds are like parachutes, they function only when they are open.

Noise proves nothing. Often a hen that has laid an egg cackles as if it had laid an asteroid. (Mark Twain)

He who doesn’t thank for a little, won’t for much either.

Faith: it can move mountains. (The Bible)

If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. (Reinhold Niebuhr, evangelist)

God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them.

There’s no security on this earth. Only opportunity.

If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

You take care of the minutes. The hours will take care of themselves.

Peace of mind is that mental condition in which you have accepted the worst.

An angry man closes his eyes and opens his mouth.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Even if the things you do are going to be foolish, make sure you do them with enthusiasm.

Between stimulus and response, you have the freedom to choose. (Stephen R Cowey in 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People')

The distance doesn’t matter; only the first step is difficult.

When going gets tough, the tough get going.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will

When the road you trudge seems all uphill

When funds are low and debts are high

When you want to smile but have to sigh

Rest if you must

But don’t you quit

When things go wrong, don’t go with them.

Problems are opportunities in work clothes.

To get to the rainbow, you must put up with the rain.

Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.

That things are the way they are doesn’t imply that they stay the way they are.

We boil at different degrees. (Henry David Thoreau)

He, who walks in another’s tracks, leaves no footprints.

Lives of great men all teach us we can make our lives sublime; and departing, leave behind us, footprints in the sands of time. (H W Longfellow)

Growth is where freedom and responsibility go together.*

Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.

God doesn’t make orange juice; He makes oranges.

The only man who never makes mistakes is the one who never tries anything new.

If you judge people, you will have no time to love them. (Mother Teresa)

When good cheer is lacking, our friends will be packing.

All human wisdom can be summed up in two words: wait and hope.

Never let yesterday use up today.

Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you will weep alone.

Joy is doubled and sorrow is halved when shared.

Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Fear is the dark room in which negatives are developed.

Success comes before work only in the dictionary.

Friendship is like money – easier made than kept.

The man who laughs at the boss’s jokes may not have a sense of humor, but has a sense of direction.

Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.

It’s not what you are; it’s what you don’t become that hurts.

Map out your future, but do it in pencil.

In life and business, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.

Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.

People who think sky is the limit have limited imagination.

The trouble with trouble is, it starts out as fun.

Every excuse that you hear makes perfect sense to the person who makes it.

Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he’s buying.

The richest man is the one who commands ideas – translates ideas into wealth. (P Chidambaram)

Mother is a verb, not a noun.

Common sense is wisdom with its sleeves rolled up.

Life asks us to make measurable progress in reasonable time. That’s why they make the fourth-standard chairs so small – so you won’t fit in them at age 25.

I am a great believer in luck. I find that the harder I work, the more of it I have.

You can’t leave a footprint that lasts if you’re always walking on tiptoe.

No man loses his freedom except through his own weakness.

Success is a lousy teacher, it seduces people into thinking they can’t lose.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some have greatness thrust upon them. Others hire PROs.

Laughter is an instant vacation.

Jealousy is all the fun you think they had.

Bigotry tries to keep truth safe in its hand with a grip that kills it.

Leadership is the first creation. (Stephen R Cowey in 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People')

Humor is a rubber sword. It allows you to make a point without drawing blood.

A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Bhagat Singh's Call

Bhaarathiya sodarulaaraa

Ee Bhagath Singh vinnapam vinandi

Mee aham vidichipettandi

Mee swaarthaanni vadileyyandi

Mee vyakthithwaanni marichipondi

Mee kalalu thudicheyyandi

Manaku dhanam vaddu

Sukham vaddu

Kutumbam vaddu

Mana thalli sankellu threnchadam okkate mana dhyeyam

Aame kanneeru thudavadame mana lakshyam

Aame vaibhavaanni thirigi saadhinchadame mana gamyam

Anduku saahasam kaavsali

Orpu kaavaali

Nammakam kaavaali

Pattudala kaavaali

Kashtaalanu aahwaniddaam

Otamini yedurkondaam

Addankulu adhigamiddam

Anukunnadi saadhiddaam

Bharatha maatha daasya srinkhalaalu chediddaam

Inquilab Zindabad

Friday, August 21, 2009

Sri Sri

Srirangam Srinivasa Rao ante evaro theliyani Telugu prajalu chaala mandhi vunda vachchu, kaani Maha Kavi Sri Sri gurinchi theliyani Telugu vaadu ledu. ‘Ee shathabdam naadi’ ani sagarvam ga prakatinchina kavi aayana. Aayanaku anthati gurthimpuni thechchina kavithaa sankalanam ‘Mahaa Prasthaanam’. ‘Emukalu kullina, vayassu mallina somaru laara chaavandi, neththuru mande, sakthulu ninde, yuvakullaara raarandi’ ani pilupunichchina pusthakam adi. Yamuni mahishapu loha ghantala sabdaanni saamaanya prajalaku vinipinchela chesina kavithalavi. Appati varaku vruththaalaku, varnalaku parimithamaina Telugu kavithaku sari koththa nirvachannichchinadi Sri Sri. Premaku, virahaaniki, soundaryaaniki, sokaniki madhyalo bandhi ayina Kavitha Kanya ku vyaakaranaala sankellu thenchi, chandassula smasaanaalu daatinchi, vimukthi prasaadinchaadu Sri Sri. Iravayyava sathaabdapu tholi moodu dashakaalalo antharjatheeyamga sambhavinchina parinaamalu, Russia viplavam, viplava radha saaradhi Lenin Sri Sri kalalaku, kavithalaku prenanalayyaayi. ‘Prapancha kaarmikulaaraa, ekam kandi, poraadithe poyedemundi, baanisa sankellu thappa’ ani pilupunichchina Karl Marx thathvaanni kavithala rupam lo Telugu prajalaku parichayam chesaayi. Maanava Jaathi charithranu malupu thippina Communist Manifesto aayanaku Bhagavad Githa ayindi, aksharam ayudhamaindi. Mahaa Prasthaanam pusthakaaniki mundu maata raasina Chalam gaari matallo cheppalante ‘Krishna Sastri baadha prapanchaaniki baadha, prapancham baadha Sri Sri baadha’. Aayana kavithalu edipinchavu, odaarusthaayi, kanneeru pettinchavu, kanneetini ela jayinchaalo chebuthaayi. Kavitha ante Sri Sri drishti lo ‘kadiledi, kadilinchedi, maaredhi, maarpinchedhi, penu niddura vadilinchedi, munu munduku saaginchedi, paripoornapu brathukichchedi’. Saamya vaadam oopiri ga aayana rachanalu saagaayi, vyadhaartha jeevana yadhaartha drisyaalu aayana kavithaa vasthuvulayyaayi, garalapu muddha loham ga, avagaadha mahaasani kotlu sammetalu ga aayana chesina khadga srishti pettubadi daari vyavasthaku, srama dopidi ki hechcharika chesindi. Vooravathala, neerinkina, cheruvu pakka, chettu kinda, gonelatho, kundalatho, etu choosthe atu cheekati, atu duhkham, patu niraasa, cherasaalalu, vuri koyyalu, kaluvalo aathma hathya theeruga brathukuthunna dagaa padda thammullalo chaithanyaanni nimpindi. Aakaasapu daarulanta, hadaavudiga velipoye, aruchukuntu velipoye, jagannatha ratha chakraalanu, aa ratha chakra pralaya ghoshanu, bhoo maargam pattinchindi, bhookampam puttinchindi. Sri Sri yasah kaayudu. Peedithulu, thaadithulu, anagaarina badugulu okka thraati paiki vachchi, rakthaaksharaalatho desa charithranu thiraga raayalani aayana kanna kalalu ippatikee sajivam ga vunnayi, naxalbari nundi salwa judum varaku viplava sankhaanni vinipisthune vunnaayi. Dopidi leni sama samaajam patla mana nibaddhatha nu prakatinchadame aayana shatha jayanthi samvathsaramlo manam aayanaku ivvagalige nivaali.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Sri Sri

Maha Kavi Sri Sri 1910 lo janminchaaru. 1983 lo maraninchaaru. Aayana padyaloo raasaaru, kavithaloo raasaaru, cinema paataloo raasaaru. Kaani, aayanaku peru thechchina pusthakam Mahaa Prasthaanam. Induloni kavithalu chaduvukunna vaarinee, saamaanyulanu kuda aakattukunnaayi. Telugu, Sanskritham, English bhaashalalo Sri Sri maha panditudu. Kaani aayana raasinadi kaalakshepaaniki chaduvukune kavithwam kaadu. Prema, prakrithi vanti vaatiki aayana kavithalalo sthaanam ledu. Mana chuttu vunna peda prajalu, vaari samasyalu, baadhalu Sri Sri kavithalalo vasthuvulu. Raithulu, koolilu ye rakamaina dopidi ki guri avuthunnaro Sri Sri kavithalu chebuthaayi. Aa dopidi nunchi thappinchukune maargamoo chebuthaayi. Ippati prapanchaanni dhanavanthulu paalisthunnaru. Vaari peththanam anthamai, pedala prabhuthwam raavaalani Sri Sri kalalu kannaaru. Adi jarigina roje aayana aathmaku saanthi.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Unity in Diversity

India’s civilization is more than five thousand years old. It has multiple cultural origins. The Indus Valley Civilization was the oldest on this land. India is a house of many cultures, religions, traditions and cultures. We see many variations in the food habits, dress habits, manners and customs. Each and every region gives a different picture of life style. In the ancient times two different tribes called the Aryans and the Dravidians were identified here. Today people of different faiths like the Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis live here together. There are thousands of castes and sub-castes. There are 18 languages and more than 6000 dialects. In spite of these differences, the people here are one. The binding factor is the Indian sentiment. For everyone, Kashmir is the jewel of India. A Bengali poem sung by the whole nation as the National Anthem. The Ganga and the Godavari are worshipped as goddesses, the cow is regarded as a sacred creature, Banaras is a holy place. One slogan ‘Vande Maataram’ united this nation during the freedom struggle. Even today, one Kargil continues to keep the unity of the nation. This unity in diversity is the greatest strength of India.

Bhinnathwam lo Ekathwam

Bharatha Desam athyantha praacheenamainadi. Himaalayaala nundi Hindu mahaa samudram varaku vyaapinchi vunna ee Desam enno bhinna jeevana vidhaanaalaku Nilayam. Inni bhinna samskrithula prajalu okatigaa saha jeevanam saaginchadam vallane Bharatha Desam upakhandamani pilavabadindi. Konni vela samvathsaaraala krithame Aryulu, Dravidulu ane rendu veru veru jaathula vaaru ikkada nivasimchaaru. Nedu ee desamlo Hinduvulu, Mahammadeeyulu, Christianlu, Parsilu, Sikkulu modalaina aneka viswaasaalaku chendinavaaru kalisi jeevisthunnaru. Vaarilo velaadigaa kulaalu, upakulaalu vunnaayi. Mana raajyaangam gurthinchina bhaashalu 18, kaaga 6000 ku paiga vyavahaarikaalu prachuryam lo vunnaayi. Vividha praanthaalalo aahaarapu alavaatlu, vesha bhaashalu, pandugalu, maryaadalu modalaina vaatilo enno bhedaalu kanipisthaayi. Kaani ikkadi prajala Madhya bhedaalunnaayi gaani vibhedaalu levu. Vairudhyaalunnaa vaishamyaalu levu. Mananu kalipi vunchede bhaaratheeyatha. Vriththi yedayina pravriththi okkate. Kashmir nu bharatha maathaku kireetam gaane andaru bhaavisthaaru. Bengali bhashalo unna geyaanni andaru jaatheeya geetham ga paadukuntaaru. Ganga, Godavari nadulanu poojisthaaru. Kaasi ni pavithra sthalam ga bhaavisthaaru. Ikkadi prajalandaru jaathi mathaalaku atheetham ga swaathanthryam kosam poraadaaru, netiki sarihaddulada vadda bhaaratha maatha rakshana kosam poraaduthunnaru. Ee ekamathyame bhaaratha desaaniki, jaathiki Srirama raksha.

Sri Sri

Mahakavi Sri Sri poorthi peru Srirangam Srinivasa Rao. 1910 April 30 va tedhina janmincharu. Aayana puttinadi sampradaya kutumbam. Chinnathanamlone Ramayanam, Mahabharatham, Bhagavatham vantivi chadivaaru. Telugu, Sanskritham, English bhashalalo aayanaku manchi praaveenyam vundedi. 1917 lo vachchina Russian Viplavam naatiki aayanaku edu samvathsaraala vayasu. Aa tharuvaathi kaalam lo aayana communism vaipu aakarshirthulayyaaru. Russia annaa, Russia Viplava saaradhi Lenin annaa aayanaku pichchi abhimaanam. Aayana aalochanloo, kavithaloo koodaa communism chuttune tirigevi. Aayana rachanalalo athyantha praachuryam pondina pusthakam Maha Prasthaanam. Aa pusthakam loni prathi aksharam Sri Sri manasuku addam lantide. Aayana korukunnadi sama samaajam, dopidi leni sama samaajam, raithulu, kaarmikulu vaari srama ku thagga phalaanni pondagalige samaajam, peda prajalu thama hakkula kosam ayudhaalu chapatti thiragabade samaajam. Aa sraamikula kosam, aa kaarmikula kosam, aa deenula kosam, vaari kshemam kosam, samkshemam kosam, vaaru naayakuluga yerpade srama jeevula raajyam kosam aayana jeevithamanthaa thapinchaaru, vaarini melu kolpadam kosam thana kalaanni aayudhamga chesi kavithalu rachinchaaru.

“Mee kosam kalam patti

Aakaasapu daarulanta

Hadaavudi velipoye

Aruchukuntu velipoye

Jagannaatha ratha chakraal

Ratha chakra pralaya ghosha

Bhoomaargam pattisthaanu

Bhookam puttisthaanu”

Vanti padunaina padaalatho Sri Sri thana bhaavaalanu prapanchaaniki cheppaaru, ee sathaabdapu kaviga, telugu saahithi charithralo saati leni sthaanaanni saadhinchukunnaru. 25 samvathsaaraala kritham, 1983 June 14 na aayana maraninchaaru, kaanee Telugu prajala gundelalo chirasthaayigaa niliche vuntaaru.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Pollution

Pollution: Causes

- Cutting trees indiscriminately is dangerous. As the population of the world is rising, there is demand for more and more residential land. So people resort to deforestation. This leads to imbalance in the nature. Scientists recommend a minimum of 33% forest area.

- Real estate is a highly profitable business all over the world. In the areas surrounding towns and cities, many farmers today prefer to convert their agricultural lands into residential lay outs. This adds to the imbalance in nature.

- Use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture causes pollution. To meet the needs of the increasing population and for maximum production, farmers are using chemicals. This pollutes the land and imparts poisonous nature to the food.

- Conversion of agricultural land into fish tanks is one of the causes of pollution. In most parts of the world, sea food business is flourishing. It is found to be more profitable than agriculture. So a large number of farmers are converting their agricultural lands into fish tanks. It pollutes the land and the underground water table also.

- The number of factories and industries is increasing all over the world every year. Most of these factories do not have a proper mechanism to dispose their wastes. They usually dump them in wastelands or nearby rivers. This causes pollution of land and water resources.

- To meet the transport requirement of the increasing population, more and more motor vehicles have become necessary. The smoke emitted by these vehicles contains harmful ingredients. They pollute the air.

- Air conditioners and refrigerators emit greenhouse gases called chloroflouro carbons (CFCs). They contribute to air pollution.

- There is a large scale consumption of tobacco all over the world. Tobacco contains toxic elements and it is one of the causes of air pollution.

Pollution: Remedies

- For every tree that we cut, we should make it a policy to plant two. Awareness programmes should be conducted to make the people understand the importance of keeping the environment green.

- There must be strict guidelines and restrictions on the conversion of agricultural land into residential lay outs or fish tanks. Violations must be penalized heavily.

- Organic farming must be encouraged. The use of pesticides and chemicals should be controlled as much as possible.

- Factories and industries should not be allowed to dump their wastes where they like. There must be very stern guidelines and in case of violations, the licenses of factories must be cancelled.

- The use of solar energy and hydel energy should be encouraged so that the consumption of conventional fuels like petrol, diesel, kerosene and coal comes down.

- Minimum 33% forest area must be ensured so that the effect of greenhouse gases can be balanced.

- Tobacco consumption must be prohibited.

Monday, August 10, 2009

India after Independence

To quote Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister, India’s independence was a tryst with destiny. It has been sixty two years since we redeemed that pledge. It was the end of a thousand years of slavery. Today, India is the world’s largest democracy, with the largest number of registered voters. There have been, as there are bound to be, many successes and many more failures too, in this six-decade-long journey. If we look back and question ourselves about them now, I think the most remarkable success is the retention of the democratic character, except for a short dark break during the two-and-a-half year period of emergency in the late seventies. This is no small success, considering that our march began at the point of a very backward economy, gross poverty, total illiteracy, disease and widespread social inequalities. It was a long road to freedom, but it was a much, much longer road to be traveled after independence. Our second great success has been the preservation of India’s unity in spite of threats of terrorism within the country and from outside elements. We remained one not only as a territory, but also as a people, in spite of a large number of faiths, communities and languages. In economy we made rapid strides in agriculture as well as in industry. In the present day’s world, after China, India is the only country that is expected to have the capacity to become a Super Power in the days to come.

There have been failures of course. The recent incidence of suicides of farmers presents a dark picture. The differences between states over such issues as the distribution of water resources are also alarming. The increasing gap between the rich and the poor is not at all a good sign. Corruption by public servants and politicians is a very big black spot. There is a lot of frustration in different sections of people.

Having said all this, I still believe, our hope and confidence in the future of the country and its people are justified. I know there are many who are full of criticism and resentment, I know there is inefficiency, corruption and hypocrisy, too much of them, but I am still optimistic that India has a long way to go. When you just see how much there is on the credit side, don’t you agree, that it’s a thrilling experience to be a part of a nation, that is trying, at its best, against odds, to reshape itself?

Jai Hind!

Children are the Future of the Nation

It sounds very intellectual when everybody talks about children being the shapers of the nation’s future. But the ground realities do not seem to be in tune with the ideal. It’s great to read in the newspaper headlines that Union Minister Kapil Sibal took the bold initiative to introduce the Right to Education in the Parliament recently. It’s difficult to understand why we had to wait for this for sixty two years after independence. The UN Declaration on Children’s Rights asserts that the governments must take measures to ‘give’ protection to children, to ‘provide’ proper health care etc. Does it become a right when it has to be ‘given’ by someone? Does it not indicate a serious shortcoming in the perspective of the world towards children as if they are always at the receiving end?

When we say that children are the future of India, we must bear in mind that India has three million children living on the streets, that there are more than 150 million children working as bonded labourers, that every sixth girl child dies before her fifteenth birthday, that half of the children in the country do not have access to education. With this picture, what kind of future do we imagine for India? Is it a promising one? Is it not scaring? Are we really serious about changing the way things are? Is the statement ‘Children are the future of India’ really making sense?

When we talk about children, we will do well to remember that we are talking about our children, our brothers and sisters, our own people. We can’t just leave their welfare to the policies of the government. We can’t just sit there blaming the system and the society. We are all collectively responsible for what they are and what they will be. If we do not take this seriously, if it does not stir our conscience, it is nothing short of a crime.

We have a lot to answer for. And we have a lot to do as well. Till we ensure bringing a smile of happiness and well being to every one of the vast number of children in our country’s population.