ANOU’S BLOG
another senseless death
A little girl died yesterday. She was 11 year old. She died because she was not able to recite her alphabet. She died because her teacher hit her head against the table and then made her stand in the sun for two hours. She died because her frail body could not...
the last turnaround
Recession, recovery, turnaround are notions I have always found hard to understand. Perhaps it is because I decided a long time ago to invest in smiles, hopes and tomorrows! But one cannot remain impervious to the happenings around us. One realises that one is in the...
Dream a dream
I do not write about TV programmes and reality shows. And yet today I write about one such show that is the buzz on the Internet and the talk of many a town. The reason is a rather cryptic message that accompanied the link and simply said: this video reminded me of...
no books no school
A recent mail from an activist friend brought to light the plight of senior secondary government school girls who were told not to come to school if they did not purchase all the school books needed for their class. Most of these students were from extremely poor...
you never knew was empty
A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty. Had anyone said those words to me a few weeks back I would have pooh poohed them away with a dismissive laugh. How could that be. And yet today as I roam my empty house I feel a huge hole in my...
scars of change
Utpal and Meher had a terrible tryst with fire when they were juts babe in arms. That terrible moment changed their lives forever. Perhaps this is the way the God of small persons operates.Were it not for their scars these two spirited kids would have had very...
who we are
Manu is back home. Not quite healed but well on his way to full recovery though the road is still long. He came back home clutching a bunch of red roses given to him by his best friend and pal Prabin who had been by his side almost 24/7!His road to recovery has been...
a message from Ram
We were rummaging through old home photographs and memorabilia when my eyes fell on a small leather bound book. It was a copy of the new testament and belonged to Ram, my father. A couple of pages had been earmarked. I opened the first such page:At that time the...
the reason why I was running…..
What kept me going so well yesterday wasn't only down to training. I kept reminding myself of the reason I was running, which was 'Anou and the women and kids at Project Why', and it gave strength to my legs to know that you were thinking of me.These were the words...
musing on
The little boys are lost in their game. At this very moment it is all that matters. The only aim is to try and win. They are not bothered about tomorrow or times to come.On Monday these three boys and their pal Utpal and didi Babli will pile up in a big car with their...
A perfect birthday gift
Manu is coming home. He will be released from hospital tomorrow which happens to be my birthday. Could I have asked for a better gift!He is still very ill and needs to be tended to and looked after but having him back at the foster care will mean seeing his lovely...
a birthday wish… or rather many
I will be celebrating my birthday soon. Birthdays have become for me the time of the year when I take stock as honestly as I can of the years gone by and try and make some resolutions for times to come. It is also when, in the dead of night, I blow on virtual candles...