2006

I will remember 2006 for many good reasons. This year I made a visit to India and visited my 12th school and unlike many other former students, I felt bad for the apalling conditions of the school. May be I had felt the same before also, but the difference this time was that instead of criticising the conditions and not doing anything about them, this time I decided to act. It changed my perspective about problems. Now, I consider problems as opportunities for me to contribute to the society. Every society has problems, but its the people who solve them. May be if we stopped merely criticising them, and went a little further to help solve them, there will be much fewer problems than there are today.

I consider this an eye opener trip for me. Followed by the trip, I became actively involved with AID and I prefer to believe that I have done what I could do best withing my current capabilities.

Also, in the year 2006, I increased my readings on topics related to problems of the society and solutions thereof. I read "How to change the world" by David Bornstein and had an opportuniuty of meeting Ashoka fellowhip awardee and Magsaysay winner Arvind Kejriwal in person. Another book that changed my outlook on social problems in general is Amartya Sen's "Development as freedom" in which he argues that the development can be measured by the freedom, e.g. freedom to work, freedom of speech. I quote Amartya Sen on this "Development can be seen, it is argued here, as a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy".

To be continued.

Developped India, a Dream! huh?

It is deeply sadenning that such things still happen in India. Looks like we are still living in 16th century.

Orissa temple re-opens after purification ritualsIndo-Asian News ServiceKendrapada, Orissa, December 17, 2006

Priests performed late night purification rituals at an Orissa temple and opened it for three days after its closure by upper castes protesting the entry of Dalits, reports said on Sunday. Read story here.
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Right to food March

Photographer: Ravi Kuchimanchi

Location: G. Madugula, District Visakha, Andhra Pradesh

Description:

Kondh tribals march 15 km on foot, with babes in arms, to Mandal Revenue Office, G. Madugula, District Visakha (AP) 21 November 2006 to demand monthly rations on time, Social Security ID cards, and working teachers present in their government schools. This march was organized by APVVU (Andhra Pradesh Vyvasaya Vruthidharulu Sangam) .