Lija John- The Dowry System

Dowry is one of those social practices which no educated Indian would own up with pride, although many of us still adhere to this much deplorable practice. It is so deeply rooted in Indian culture, that sometimes one feels that there's going to be no way out - at least not for another century.

Even modern, well-educated families start saving up money for their daughter's dowry as soon as she is born so what can one expect from the uneducated masses, whose only form of education is tradition?

When demands for dowry are not met, the bride is subject to torture, and often even killed. Dowry deaths of a newly married bride are still regularly in the news. The reason many parents don't want to have daughters is because of the dowry they will have to shell out at her marriage, and the stress they go through due to never ending demands from her in-laws.


Dowry is an evil, evil system and all of us, at some level, condone it and even contribute to it.Often the boy’s parents don't demand dowry, but our culture is such that we feel we must give something to the in-laws. In such cases, give as much as you receive. When you go out of your way because you are the parents of the girl, you are contributing to this evil. A number of marriage-negotiations break down if there is no consensus between the bride's and groom's families.

That dowry is given as compensation to the groom's parents for the amount they have spent in educating and upbringing their son. These explanations may seem logical in the present day context, but they cannot explain how this practice originated.Instead of giving her dowry so everyone is nice to her at her new home, give her a great career, so they can't help but respect her. So if they treat her badly, she can walk out, as she is not dependent on them.

So they need her monthly contribution to the household expenses and dare not mess with her.Providing your daughter with a solid education, and encouraging her to pursue a career of her choice is the best dowry any parent can ever give their daughter.

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The Author is a I yr BA Programme student

Arushi Vats- Reloading Education

In the super-busy life we lead, seeking the ever-so-perfect dream we don’t stop, because stopping is hazardous, the person next to you might just get a step ahead. And that would not do. The system says survival of the fittest. The cream (though I question the use of this term, so many people end up consuming milk daily, the cream is set aside for other uses or for making butter that is anyways available separately. But you can’t have cream replacing milk in your daily Bournvita, can you?) go to the best colleges, the milk is left to face the prospect of thinking of a future at an open university or a private university (if it can be afforded).

But we don't really stop and think (because stopping means losing) that this system doesn’t make logic. The brightest get the best, the weakest the worst. Shouldn’t it be the other way round? For a child who is brilliant a competent teacher/guide is essential but for the child who is mediocre, the need for a competent teacher/guide increases for the brilliant child has to just fine tune, the mediocre one has to work ten times harder to achieve the highest level he can because he has to rise from mediocre to brilliant. So the weakest student should get the best teacher and the brilliant student should get a good teacher, because he can make the best out of it. It’s a challenge to make someone who is already highly discouraged by the society to realize his full potential. A challenge that can be achieved by the best, trained, seasoned teachers of this country.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. What we have is, students scoring 95% getting to “choose” what they want to study at +2 level, getting the school of their choice, the best teachers and the model environment and the weakest student gets the residual school, a stream that they in all probability don’t want to study, teachers with least amount of training and expertise. What would an already discouraged student with a 60% do with an untrained teacher? Not fair!

This is so obvious, happening all over schools in India. I’m sure we all have friends that have experienced the same problems; probably some of us are a part of this ‘mediocre’ group that could have been brilliant but never became brilliant because everything that they needed was taken away as a price to be paid for mediocrity.

Can we open our minds and think how we can change this essential flaw in our system, so that students passing out from all schools and not just the brand schools have an equal stake at the good life that we are all running after? Let’s make the race fair.

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The Author is I yr BA Programme Student and a Member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Komalkiran - Childhood Interrupted

Everything around us tells us that we have stepped into the 21st century. Until you see a 10 year old bride on the TV screen. Around two months ago, this issue surfaced on one of the news channels: a young bride was holding the hand of her 16 year old husband in their wedding. Childhood interrupted and adulthood thrust on them long before they were ready for it.

Majority of the child marriages occur in West and East African and South Asian poverty stricken families. Over the next decade another 100 million girls will become child brides.

Legally the age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys but in rural areas, majority of the girls are married at a very young age. In Rajasthan alone, 82% of the girls are married by the age of 18, 15% of the girls in rural areas are married before the age of 13 and 15% percent of them go through their first pregnancy between the ages of 15 and 19.

Girls who become pregnant under the age of 18 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women who give birth in their 20s. Since many girls often marry older men with more sexual experience, child brides face a higher risk of contracting HIV. Child marriage also endangers the mental health of a girl as a child bride experiences a higher incidence of domestic violence, marital abuse (including physical, sexual or psychological abuse) and abandonment.


Children are helpless because they are a group for whom decisions are taken by others.They are too young and innocent to understand all this. But to curb this problem of child marriage, parents and the adults have to change their mindsets. Task forces should be appointed by the Govt. or NGOs and each force should be sent to a different area where the people should be told about the above mentioned ill effects of child marriages. They can also show them documentaries and make them meet famous and successful women so that their thinking can be changed. Even we can contribute by educating our maids and servants regarding the after-effects of a child marriage. Steps should be taken to eradicate poverty at all levels because child marriage has its roots in poverty. No doubt this will involve huge sums of money but the future of our younger generation is at stake and what is at stake is much more costly than the funds required.

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The Author is an executive member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Archana Nair- Begging for Solutions

Our country is developing. We are driven to change the view of India as seen from the eyes of those dwelling elsewhere in the world. Thus, in the wake of the Common Wealth Games, we witness an overflow of metro lines and renovations of airports. We are also taking the animals away from the roads, working on maintaining cleanliness and doing much more.

From the stray dog on the streets to the participants of the Games, everybody has been thought of, with the exception of the beggars. For the purpose of our discussion, beggars are those who are found in public places asking for money or spare change.

That beggary needs to be banned remains undisputed, however no consensus has been attained on how to prevent it. A solution for the problem of begging is difficult to find because begging is not just an economic problem, it’s a social and psychological difficulty that is linked to law and order issues. Besides, there is a rising fear that begging has become an industry in nexus with the underworld

It is indeed a rather complex matter. There is this persisting tug of war, a dilemma, forming in my thoughts. Here is an attempt to put it into words. Imagine a man in rags asking for money at the traffic signal on the vast roads of Delhi. His body bears testimony to his unhygienic, unsafe and troubled life. Now, if you give don’t give him money, he will starve or get penalised for not collecting enough money, and if you do give him money, you add miles to the stride of the so-called industry. So what do we do?


Our generation knows that begging is bad and that it is to be abolished. Our plan of action is simple-avoid their existence and refuse to give them any money. But given their numbers, letting them starve is hardly a solution. In no attempt to glorify a beggar, one who lives not knowing whether there is a meal coming his way or not and yet does not kill himself, is doing no meagre task by living. It’s a battle for existence.

My stomach forms a tight knot when I see young ones naked on the streets wailing for their young mothers who are leaning on some pulled up car-window. Can I do anything? At the level of an individual, I think that it is important to give away in kind and not in cash. Also, remember that they are humans with dignity, offer a smile when you see them. They are not to be ignored, nobody who walks the planet, with whom you share space, is to be ignored.

It is a complex problem. But it that it is a problem is beyond deliberation. The law of the land is not going to bring about the required change in the situation. That is, putting beggars in juvenile homes or prison is not a good enough solution. Perhaps it is time for state bureaucracies, to join hands with voluntary organisations especially those run by youth and give them all the help and support they need. The purpose is to direct individual efforts in a productive manner and form a regional movement. If there is organisation and order, what NGOs are achieving today slowly, can be replicated widely.

Even while I say it, the abstract nature of this suggestion strikes me. I am also not unaware of the fact that begging is not all that easy to eradicate. However, we can not let a huge chunk of our population just call the roads their homes. It becomes the responsibility of each privileged person to do something for those who are challenged. From where I see it, our consolidated privileges due to discriminated exposure to opportunity and resources on the one hand; and the resultant unequal income distribution on the other hand, partly form the reasons why they are on the streets in the first place. But of course, the issue is bigger than that and the net of reasons must not trap our activity towards the cause of eradication of beggary (not merely the beggars).

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The Author is a I yr BA Journalism Honours student and an executive member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Nidhi Mehta- Emergency Services in India

I heard a crash and then a loud cry “Fire! Fire!” I was eight years old. The apartment in front of my house had caught fire. A pandemonium had broken out. The residents of the colony had come rushing to help. Buckets of water were brought forth. Within minutes, our quiet colony was struck with panic. But what left an indelible impression on my mind, was the site of a rusty fire engine crawling to the scene half an hour later. The delay could have cost someone’s life, but fortunately the heroic residents had already controlled the fire.

Almost everyone among us must have witnessed some incident or the other which bears testimony to India’s shameful emergency services. India recorded the largest number of road accidents in 2007. The crime rate is rapidly increasing and the threat of anti-social elements looms large. A large percentage of the ambulances do not even have oxygen cylinders. The current scenario calls for a dire need to revamp our emergency services, namely the police, fire services and emergency medical services.

So what can be done?
Firstly, a well functioning system needs to be established to tackle medical emergencies and disasters.Measures need to be taken to integrate the emergency services so that there are no delays by the fire and the police department to reach the site of the mishap. A positive development in this regard has been the conceptualisation of ‘108’ as the centralised emergency helpline by the Emergency Management and Research Institute.


Secondly, the emergency vans should be well equipped with life saving drugs, devices and trained paramedics. The Govt. also needs to tackle the lack of trained paramedics by setting up institutes for the same.

Ultimately, it is the quick action of the people around the victim that makes the difference between life and death during a disaster. I think it is imperative for the Government to incorporate a compulsory course on crisis management supplemented with practical demonstrations in schools across the country.

We as individuals first need to be aware about the basic first aid techniques. Once we have sufficient knowledge, we can create awareness by conducting workshops in schools and colleges. Several people and organisations have taken initiatives in this regard.

One story particularly caught my attention. Shook by a set of tragic events a group of 5 friends started a life support ambulance service called ‘1298 Dial for Ambulance’ in Mumbai in 2005. It has saved more than 50,000 lives in Mumbai. Supported by several corporate houses and NGO’s, 1298 has expanded its network, initiated first aid workshops as well as started a woman’s helpline. If more such people come forward it can completely change the face of India’s emergency services.

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The Author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and an Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Ira Swasti- The Differently-abled…Not the Less-abled

When you see a blind man crossing the street, what are the first thoughts that come to mind? It’s rather a flurry of emotions. A 5-minute long stare, followed by a pang of guilt or a feeling of injustice (by God), and a lot of pity. Exactly what a person with physical disability does not appreciate and does not require!

The word handicap is claimed to have evolved from “cap in hand” referring to the physically disabled’s need to subsist as beggars in the past. Many people take offence to the term, and hence I am going to use the word “differently-abled” in the rest of the blog.

Centuries back, the Greeks used to abandon their disabled children by putting them in wicker baskets and setting them afloat on a river. The Romans, put them in jars and left them on the road, exposed to die. Many believed that it was the wrath of the Gods or the possession of demons. We could perhaps dismiss theses brutalities as things of the past that happened in ancient times when survival was the order of the day.

But what of the 21st century? What with the latest medical technologies and increased social consciousness associated with.the disabled, the deaf, dumb, blind, wheel-chair bound, and people with other disabilities are still not a part of the main stream. Only, the jars have evolved from tangible glass ones to invisible boxes, isolated and separated from the ones that are different from them- the ones with the perfect five senses and perfectly functioning bodies (never mind a perfect mind or heart, they do not matter).

But, more than any kind of medical treatments, what the differently-abled persons want is to be treated with love, dignity and normalcy. Helping them gain independence is a step towards that, also jobs – one way of gaining financial independence. But not jobs of the nature of freak shows in circuses or announcers at railway station, being paid in peanuts and leading miserable lives. This is not only grossly undermining their potential but bruising their dignity and instilling in them the belief that they ARE less capable, less privileged than the others! A belief the world can certainly do without.India has 70 million disabled persons, 2% of which are educated and only 1% employed. The figures speak for themselves.

The Indian society is not disabled-friendly. Period. Not our buses, not our institutions, not our minds. We need to accept that the disabled are not less fortunate or less capable, not an abnormality. For, if a quadriplegic can climb the Everest (what many non-quadriplegics have not been able to)…anything else is a lesser feat!

So, the next time you see a physically disabled person, do not pity, do not cringe, do not behave any differently than you would in someone else’s presence. Why do only NGOs have to figure where the government does not show initiative or interest? Why can’t it be us to bring about a change? There’s an organization started by a wheelchair user called AccessAbility that seeks jobs for the disabled in the industry. We can help start more organizations like that.It would be great if each of us can visit institutions for the disabled, spend time with them, bring them out of this feeling of quarantine and make them believe that they can live life on their own terms, that they don’t need such institutions...or anyone else, but them to take care of themselves.

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The Author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and an Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Srishti Gupta -I Have a Dream

I have a dream for the Invisible Indians. The Invisible Indians who are starving every moment, who are committing suicides due to prolonged crisis in life, who are malnourished to the extent that they hardly look like humans and those who work day and night on a small piece of land and still fail to manage a livelihood. My concern is for those 41.6% of our nation's population, who according to World Bank are still earning less than $1.25. India is slated to be the fastest growing economy of Asia in the coming years but the despondent irony is that India is still home to the largest number of hungry in the world and 47% of its children are severely malnourished. And these invisible Indians are not just confined to the 6.5 lack villages of the country; they can easily be spotted in desolate nook and corners of growing cities too. I call them invisible because there is no one to address their problems.

It's high time to actually take some stern measures and make farming a lucrative option. The manifold schemes initiated by government should be implemented more sincerely and it should be made sure people actually get the benefits they ought to get. It's imperative to hone the primary education system because most of without undermining the importance of basic education, government should make a sincere effort to produce more efficient, rational and practical farmers.our farmers are illiterate and consequently not very rational. What I strongly feel is that without undermining the importance of basic education, government should make a sincere effort to produce more efficient, rational and practical farmers And this can be done by initiating special programs for them wherein they are guided to become farmers who are certainly smarter and more in tune with the latest technology. An institute in every district which provides a degree for specialization in farming or anything similar would actually help the situation. The course structure should be such that the students are given complete insight into how to improve the agricultural production, what kind of crops to be grown, nature of fertilizers to be used as per the texture of soil they work on and many other essential things. Except in a few states, mostly farmers aren’t aware of the schemes and policies being launched for them. They still take bank loans at an interest as high as 10-12% so there is an imperative need that awareness about various loan schemes, technologies and market policies that are favorable to them should be conveyed too. There are several similar programs running but they should be presented in a manner that precisely meets the requirements of the farmers. In villages, people generally don't send their wards to schools for myriads of reasons but a course like this is sure to attract many people and benefit them too. Government can also take help from corporate sectors and NGOs to execute these plans effectively. Serious attempts should be made to produce smart "professional" farmers who too earn lavishly and this will build a solid foundation for a highly productive, internationally competitive, and diversified agricultural sector too.


My dream is that the farmers of our country, who have been suffering endlessly, should now join the league those highly successful people. Let farming become a coveted and respected profession in the country and the Agricultural Sector, one of the most profitable sectors. This I am sure will solve many other problems too only then will India truly shine!!!

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The Author is a IIyr Maths Honours student and part of the Core Team of DevelopmentChannel.org

Parul Gupta- Paper Wastage: What We Can Do About It

My exams concluded recently, and the whole process, apart from making me dizzy, led me to think about the issue which stares us in our face, yet gets unnoticed so easily--Paper Wastage.
All of us are aware that the ultimate source of paper is the forest. There is a direct correlation between the amount of paper used and the number of trees felled to obtain it. Although everyone talks a lot about “saving trees” and “deforestation”, most of us don’t think twice before wasting paper.

Paper is used everywhere-in schools, colleges, homes and offices-and very often, the wastage is much more than the usage. The reason for this is simply a careless and callous attitude-- we use the whole sheet of paper just to note down a shopping list; we use a crisp new sheet to print a small paragraph; we print notices on only one side of a sheet and don’t bother to use the other blank side-the list is endless.

To be specific, I’ll take the example of a very well-known MNC (whose mailing portal we all use), where one of my friends interned this summer. She was shocked to see the extent of wastage there- everyday, instructions to interns were given on printed sheets, which were later disposed of in the bin. The company has an active CSR wing and is doing a lot for the society, but in my opinion, by carelessly wasting so much paper, it is clearly abdicating its responsibility towards the environment.

Most unfortunate is the fact that we don’t even recognize the amount of waste we generate unnecessarily. I claim it’s unnecessary because it can be easily reduced. All we need, is to be a little more careful and sensitive-using the blank side of bills to note down shopping items; reusing envelopes by pasting a sticker on the address area; using one-side-used sheets for rough printouts; requesting our bills and bank statements to be e-mailed to us; recycling newspapers and magazines and so on. Returning to the example given above, the company could mail the directives to its interns, or post a single notice on the office information board to give out common instructions.

Essentially, we need to minimize waste by reusing & recycling (when reuse is not possible). I truly believe that these small steps can go a long way in conserving paper and hence saving our precious forests.
And to conclude on a lighter note, perhaps we could also ban exams, to reduce the wastage of paper!
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Monika Punia- Success by educating the rural, urban poor

Though India has made progress in social sector, but our success story is still stagnant compared to what other contries have done. The United Nations Human Development Index ranks us 128th among 177 countries. Certainly not a flattering report on our achievement in the field of education and health.

Historically no country has developed without the benefits of mass education. Our growth rate can not be sustained without an educated population. No doubt our literacy rates have gone up over the years however the poor, especially the girl child continue to be highly deprived. Though towns comparatively have better access to education, urban poor are less fortunate in terms of quality of education and the opportunities they receive are still very less which reflects the large number of dropouts at the primary level higher education.

Inspite of large number of primary school, the number of secondary school as Planning Commission outlays have increased, the concern of our states have to translate into better health and education for the poor. However it is not mere outlays or pumping in money that will make the difference. We need to correct the major drawbacks of the existing system. First among them is the quality of our litteracy.

The drop out rates in our schools is appalling. In Delhi, only 50% clear their class 10 board exams. Experts point out that this is a direct outcome of our inefficient and joyless methods of teaching. The apathy and incompetence of large numbers of our teachers add to the problem. Recently media highlighted that 60% of the teachers in government schools ar not trained. In many of the rural areas many teachers do not turn up for work and are known to have taken up a second job.

Not investing in our youth can hamper our growth. Quality education is one of the potent ways to eradicate the inequity in our system. Let us create innovative partnership between government, civil society and corporates to improve the quality and reach of our education for the poor in villages an towns.

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Divya Agrawal- India and Vision 2020

APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, a person who saw the dream of making our country developed among other developed nations by 2020 and went in the search of right path to do as much best he can to us. But the question arises-- can we realize and fulfill his dream in this scenario of unrest, insecurity, price rise and other internal as well as external problems?

The real India has always been said to be living in its villages. Despite modernization, globalization, and merging of the rural-urban gap, it is true that even now almost 60 percent of our population lives in villages. It is also true that part of this population is unable to fulfill the basic requirement of food, shelter and clothing. Living under the poverty line, these people live a life of minimum and struggle everyday to earn a decent meal for themselves. How can a nation even dream of becoming a developed nation till its people die of hunger and lack the basic resources for survival?

Terrorism is yet another menace that is hampering our country’s development. Of late, the number of terrorist attacks have risen up sharply and many cities have been affected by it. Innocent men and women have lost their lives. Corruption is so deeply rooted in our political system that our 'netas' have forgotten their duties, let we care for what they can do to help us to get rid of problems.

On the other hand, what India doesn’t realize is its strength. We have ample manpower and skilled labour apart from some of the most talented and highly educated professionals who can take the country to never imagined heights of success. But their skills and talent are being under utilized and there are not enough opportunities at the moment.

So to conclude we can say that there are many hurdles for India to become a developed nation till 2020. But who has seen future? Our highly capable defence bodies, strong economy, changing outlook, attempt to narrow down the financial inequality, equal opportunities to all, enlistment and empowerment of women, ability to master space programmes and fight deadly diseases are some of the notable achievements that differentiate India from other nations. These are the reasons that fuel the desire and make us believe that becoming a developed country by 2020 is possible.

There may be a day when things change for the better and we see India rising up to its challenges only to astonish the entire world.
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Tanuj- Bringing "Muskan" to All

I happened to visit a drug de-addiction and rehabilitation center named Muskaan Foundation in Dwarka courtesy Leaders for Tomorrow, an NGO I'm a part of.Well, first let me tell you about some of the preceeding events that happened just before my visit there. I saw a drug addict throbbing in the mid of the road from an epileptic stroke... an old English-speaking man begging to get him an inhaler... my interpretation of the character of these people... Desperate,
Criminal-minded, Deceptive, Ignoble...

When I reached there, frankly speaking I wasn't impressed by the look of the place-- shabby walls, small rooms, and all. They exhibited good hospitality. We were introduced to the concept by Ms. Diva Pandey, the psychologist there. The lady didn't seem to be just doing all this like a job... It seemed it was her job, hobby, aim, goal... She was actually wholeheartedly dedicated to this foundation. Then, we were briefed by Mr. Hemant, a part of the council, dedicated to the de-addiction of the the concerned people. I was surprised to know that he himself had a record of 15 years of addiction. He had recovered completely some 6 years back. He was so happy to regain his life that he decided to help other sufferers like him. He gave us the examples of other people in the council who were all recovered 'patients'. The council consisted of many recovered patients since they would be knowing a lot about the psychology and emotions of the people who are now trying to overcome drug addiction.

After that, Dr. Bhushan arrived who told us about the medico-psychological factors related to the addicts. He told us how does this habit start. I was literally startled to know that children as small as six years old were addicted to something or the other and to what all they were addicted to in the beginning-- whitener, adhesives, Iodex, types of erasers and even to alcohol; which later on graduated to hardcore drugs, including oral ones and the injectibles too.

We then had a chat with two of the children who were recovering.. They were sweet innocent children after all, meandered directionless that's it! They were given a streamed direction here..
Now, it was the time to visit all the inmates, talk to them, play with them and just try to understand them. I always had a convention that all the addicts belong from the economically backward strata of the society. But this was only apparent. While hearing the introductions from them, i realised they belong from each and every corner of the society. Rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim, Sikh or Christian, Old or young, every realm of the society is infected with this problem. It didn't sink in for the first time, there were people from so good level-- NSD graduate, MBBS from London, Businessmen, Chef, Body-double in Bollywood, Call center trainee (he's a part of the council now). I really didn't expect people of this kind at this rehab. They all want to change, but just cant. It's biological, as well as psychological. I figured it out it's very very easy to fall into the trap of drugs, but its that much difficult to get out of it. You try to justify your need for drugs... justify your each and every deed... I remember, one of those justified it by saying.. "You have sex once, you are addicted to it.. Is sex bad?" Though the reasoning is ridiculous, but it gives you an insight to their mentality towards drugs.

Then we played games with them.. They are actually very nice people just treaded on the wrong path. I felt sympathetic whenever i saw any of the addicts lying on the road, but at the end of the visit my ideology has changed.. now i empathise with them.. and they need to be understood, not pitied upon. The visit ended, but the thought and the consequences are still very much within me, at the back of my eyes, somewhere in my mind, somewhere in my conscience.

The problem is that they were one of us only. I don't know how many of those people whom I call friends now, will be rechristened to addicts or Smackiyas. We have to ensure that not only us, but everyone around doesn't fall into the lure of this. I can assure you one thing, atleast I wouldn't, never!! Not even for the sake of trying it. Believe me, that's the first step of you becoming an addict.

Anoushaka Chandrashekhar- The Modern Indian Women

I go to school. I go to college. I go to management institutes. I occupy the top positions in the corporate world. I am modern. I am independent and free. This I is nobody but the modern Indian woman. Or is it?

We all say that the times are changing. Has it really changed for women? No doubt there has been an improvement in the condition of women, overtime. There was a time when women were confined to their households, were illiterate and had no say in the decision making of the household. All this has definitely improved particularly in urban areas. But I still have my doubts about it. Even today when a woman gets married, she is expected to leave her home and go and stay with her husband’s family.

Are we talking about changing times? I don’t think so. I would like my husband to come and live with me after marriage. Why am I expected to make all the sacrifices? Why should I leave the house and the people with whom I have spent so many years of my life? Leave alone my husband and his family; will my own family be open to this idea? Is this so called “modern” society actually open to such an idea?

After marriage when I have kids, I will be expected to give up my career and look after them and bring them up. Another sacrifice! When will this society free me of sacrifices? A man will never be expected to give up his career and take care of his children. I study as much as a man put in the same efforts, get the same degree – but I am expected to give it all up. I can become a house wife but a man cannot become a house husband (at least 80% of the people will not be open to this idea). I do all this and the child is still known by the name of the father. The patriarchal Indian society never seems to change.

I am the modern woman living in this so called modern world. But when will people start becoming modern by their thinking and not just by their clothes? When will I be allowed to take my own decisions and do what I want to do rather than do what the society expects me to do? I spend my entire life in this modern world, being identified as someone’s daughter, someone’s wife and then someone’s mother. Through this entire journey I wonder where my identity lies? My identity of being a woman is lost somewhere between all these relationships and expectations.

All I want is some more freedom and a change in the way people perceive the roles of a man and a woman in society.

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The author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and a Core Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Dhanya Thomas- Time for self-introspection ?

Indian media, which is considered to be the fourth pillar of the democracy and the watch dog of the government, has become more of a circus.
Various newspapers, periodicals and news channels which have to sustain themselves by earning profits are forced to give up the credibility, integrity and independence of the profession.

If we trace back to the history of Indian media, it started as a mission, when the visionaries used this medium to empower the masses and thereby to attain independence. In the post independent India, mission gave way to profession. And now, in this 21st century, it has become commercialization. Media being owned by the corporate companies are being totally driven by the profit motive. Most often it is caught in the trap of building circulation or surrendering to the tyranny of Television Rating Points. And the three Cs-Cinema, Cricket and Crime have become their success mantra.

In India there are channels especially dedicated to news, entertainment, lifestyle, fashion, religion and channels owned by political parties. But it is ironic that we do not have a channel for development. This is a dangerous phenomenon as it completely destroys the capacity of the media to intervene effectively in society.



Media can serve the society, be an effective partner in nation’s development if they realise that they are serving the citizens not the consumers. It can have a catalysing role in the development of India. Many a times journalists forget the fact that media is placed to bring about a change in the lives of people, especially the marginalized and by making the development process more inclusive of the concerns and needs the people, particularly the underprivileged.

One original purpose of journalism is to inform and educate the masses. Once they are educated, they can become more aware citizens who are capable of contributing to the nation building. But the truth is that our communication media have never assumed this crucial responsibility of defining, reviewing and its role with regard to social concerns and people’s problems.

The former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam observes: "The media must play a nation-building role because excellence in journalism vitalises the nation". Yes, it is the time for media to overcome the pressures of the market though success on this path is very difficult to achieve, but not impossible.