ANOU’S BLOG
a new journey begins
The recent demolition of the Lohar basti is a harbinger of days to come. We have, over the past five years, witnessed many a demolition drive of this very basti. Bulldozers came, tenements were brought down, but each time they were rebuilt as money changed hands and...
will it; won’t it
The will it; won't it game that has now been played for years at end came to a final closure for the Lohar camp next to the Kalkaji bus depot. Yesterday the small basti of thirty odd tenements was finally raised to the ground to make way for the much awaited...
more heart matters
In her bright school uniform and sporting a sparkling smile she looks just line another school girl. However if you look at her again you see her little chest rising at an unnatural pace and realise that she can barely breathe. She has a hole in her heart and was what...
a breath of fresh air
It was once again time to make the one hour car journey to Utpal's school for his PTM. And in spite of this being the nth time, the excitement was palpable.With little Kiran the true blue childhood pal, I had packed the proverbial bag of goodies that contained all...
when the heart takes over
S decided to sell his kidney because life had become unberable after his business failed. It must have been a pondered decision and one that must have taken a lot of grit and determination. What happened next is what heroic tales are made of. When S realised that the...
full circle
It was almost three years ago that two women of substance set up our Okhla school. The school was set up in a garbage dump for all the right reasons and much of what we set out to do was achieved and somehow we felt that nothing would or could disturb the pattern we...
a bonny bundle of joy
Prakash is a bonny four month old, a far cry from his elder brother Manoj who came to us almost two years back and reminded me of a garden gnome with his big head and emaciated body.When we came to know that Manoj's mom mas pregnant again, we set out to chart a road...
the sting that lost its bite
The latest sting school. operation turned out lost all its bite when the reporter in question was arrested. I am referring to the case of the school teacher accused of waylaying girls students in Delhi. Though the story had created furore and even rioting when aired,...
the baby factory
The baby factory that was exposed in another now famous sting operation looked like a horror movie. Young minor girls from poor states brought to Delhi and then made to produce babies that were then sold! The reason for this is two-fold: the abject poverty on one hand...
the boy in the red shirt
I would like to share two small almost negligible incidents that happened yesterday.While showing the project to a visitor we stopped by our tiny Govindpuri primary centre. The room was so tiny that some of us remained outside where a bunch of young lads sat...
only a matter a of degree
The recent imbroglio over the issuing of degrees to students of India's prime medical school is a tragic reminder of the prevailing state of affairs in this country. The drama recently enacted on the streets and in front of cameras had shades of both Kafka and Marx...
whose reponsibility is it anyway
Very often in the nightmare that Delhi traffic has become, one can see ambulances flashing their lights and blaring their sirens to no avail. Many times other vehicles could slow down and move aside and give them way but somehow they don't. The ambulance just has to...