The government of India, on February 21, announced its plans to set up specialized one stop crisis centers for women for offering all necessary services for women subjected to violence.

Women in distress in India often face more harassment in the process of seeking help. As a result many don’t even come forward to report violence against them. The idea behind one-stop crisis center is that women don’t have to directly deal with tens of different agencies, individuals, or institutions. They go to one place, one set of people who are specially trained to handle women issues.

The move follows a series of steps that government has already announced to curb violence against women or to help women in distress. Dedicated women helpline numbers are already active in cities such as Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai. Recently, Bangalore announced its plans to have women only police squads patrol vulnerable areas. However, these are just some preliminary and experimental steps. India has a long way to go in improving the state of women in the county. If implemented effectively, these one stop crisis centers could form a strong foundation to women help and care system in India.

As a starting point, Indian National Mission for Empowerment of Women will start such one stop crisis centers in public hospitals in 100 districts.

This is not the first time government of India has announced such a scheme. Back in September 2009, government had issued directives to various states and union territories to set up Rape Crisis Centers and Specialized Sexual Assault Treatment Units. But three years into the announcement, you only get yet another announcement. With parliament elections approaching fast, one can only hope that there will be some seriousness to these announcements.

Finally, the issue of women’s security in India is getting some attention from the authorities. The gangrape and murder of a 23 year old girl in the national capital Delhi is proving to be an eye opener – a grim reminder of how vulnerable females are in the country, and how public transport is misused to inflict sexual violence upon women.

A committee of secretaries was formed to review women’s security and to propose measures for improving it. The committee was headed by cabinet secretary and specifically focused on safety of women in public transport. In January, the committee made a series of recommendations to improve women’s safety. Apart from installing CCTV cameras and having a guard in the buses, committee also proposed exclusive buses for women in large cities.

Based upon committee’s recommendations Indian government issued a directive to state governments to start women-only buses in all million plus cities. It made it clear that the buses could be on any size depending upon the specific needs of a city and the route. But every million plus city must have some women only buses.

To ensure that the directive is not ignored by state governments, the Union Urban Ministry on Thursday instructed states to share their detailed action plan for starting these women only buses.

Many women’s groups had also made separate demands for women only buses in cities like Noida, Delhi, and Gurgaon. They complained of rampant sexual harassment in the buses.

[Read: An Open Letter to Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition]

Some cities in the country such as Delhi and Kanpur have already started female only buses. If the states listen to the center, many more cities will soon offer exclusive buses to women. And while exclusive buses alone won’t be sufficient to eradicate sexual violence against women, they will certainly help women feel safer in maddening cities.
While Delhi revived its women special buses in November, similar services were started in Kanpur. The North-Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation has also announced bus services for women and families between Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum.

Image: wsj.com

The first all-women police squad takes to patrolling the streets of Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley.  And this is just the first step towards providing round-the-clock security service and a dedicated helpline for girls and women in the city.

While Delhi may be the rape capital of India, Bangalore has also been witnessing a worrisome rise in violence against women. Bangalore is a land of opportunities offering avenues both for higher studies as well as for better paying jobs.  The city also welcomes people to a pleasant weather throughout the year.  And that makes it an attractive destination for many aspiring Indians. Young men and women from all over India come to Bangalore to realize their dreams.

Bangalore used to get counted among safest cities for girls however the perception is changing fast. There have been many incidents of rape, kidnapping, and murder in the city prompting calls for tighter security. Those calls got intensified by the recent nationwide protests that followed the horrific gang rape and murder of a 23 year old paramedical student in Delhi. It was in response to those persistent demands for increased security that the Bangalore city police introduced all-women squad patrolling, on Thursday January 31, 2013, last week.

[Read: Brutal Gang Rape of 23 Year Old in Delhi]

A new women’s helpline number 1091 has been set up that women in distress can call for help. Depending upon the nature of the call, the police control room will dispatch an all-women squad to handle the situation.

These female squads are called Abhaya which means fearless and their goal is to instill a sense of security among women. They will comprise of 3-4 specially trained policewomen. When not attending to any complaint, female police squads will patrol the city focusing on areas most frequented by women.

Currently, women make less than 1% of Bangalore’s police force – only 1000 policewomen among total 14,000. Considering that city police needs to recruit more women to make this new security measure effective. Otherwise, it will just stay as a symbolic gesture.

Also See:

Aung San Suu Kyi is an iconic world leader, an extraordinary living example of resilience and fearlessness. She was awarded Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy in Burma (Myanmar). She features in Forbes world’s 100 most powerful women. Suu Kyi epitomizes strength, peace, and hope for people far beyond Myanmar.

She was only 2 years old when her father, the commander of modern Burmese Army, who negotiated Burma’s freedom from British Empire, was assassinated. Today, she’s the chairperson of National League for Democracy (NLD), a political party founded by her and that is widely speculated to come to power in 2015 elections.

Suu Kyi has lived a life of selflessness, sacrifice, and enduring fight – spending 15 of last 21 years under house arrest – away from her family. At 67, her spirit is strong as ever.

She says that politics was her destiny that she had to follow. She did her early schooling in Burma and then in 1960, at the age of 15, she moved to New Delhi along with her mother who was then Burmese ambassador to India. In Delhi, after studying in Convent of Jesus and Mary School, she pursued her degree in politics from Lady Shri Ram College. Then she moved to England for her B.A. in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University. She worked in various capacities in US, Japan, India, and Burma.

In 1971, she married Michael Aris, a British scholar and had two children. Life was going fine for Aung San Suu Kyi until 1988 when she had to suddenly rush back to her roots in Burma to tend to her mother who had suffered a massive stroke. While in Burma, Suu found herself in the midst of a brewing pro-democracy movement. She took the center stage in what’s known as 8888 Uprising and has never looked back.

Suu Kyi chose Burmese people over her family and personal happiness. Her husband died in 1999 while she was in house arrest. He was terminally ill and even her farewell letter didn’t make to him on time. In an interview with NDTV, Suu said that it would not have made any difference even if her letter had reached him. She didn’t appear to have any ill feeling towards the military dictators who denied Michael an entry into Burma. She only met her husband 5 times during the period she was under house arrest. Even her children were not allowed to meet her. She couldn’t travel to receive her Nobel Peace Prize either. Military junta gave her an option to visit her family in England but she knew that that would be a one way pass and therefore decided to stay put and to continue doing her duty.

In 1990 general elections in Burma, her NLD party won 80% of the parliament seats however the military junta refused to hand over the power and nullified the results. But continuous breaches of promises by authorities, frequent house arrests, and restrictions on her freedom haven’t dented her spirit.

She says, “For me real freedom is freedom from fear and unless you can live free from fear you cannot live a dignified human life. It’s not possible if you’re always having to think what will somebody do to me if I say this, what will somebody do to my family if I do that, that’s not the sort of life I want to live and that was not the sort of life I want my people to live. So yes it’s the idea of real freedom which comes from inside and once you’re free inside and once you feel that I can accept whatever happens to me so long as I’m working for something that is right, then I think you are free.”

For those who believe that power corrupts people, Suu Kyi has an answer – “It is not power that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

For the past 25 years Suu Kyi has been fearlessly fighting for democracy in Burma. She has braved attacks on herself, brutal killing of her party members, multiple house arrests, and separation from family – just for one cause – democracy for her people.

It was only in November 2010 that Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest. Now she’s free to travel, meet her children, and hold meetings with foreign dignitaries.

Whether, or not, 2015 becomes the year of change in Myanmar, a peaceful and fearless fighter’s fight for democracy continues.

Learn all about Aung San Suu Kyi

Image: TheHindu

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. When M S Dhoni loses or wins a match, it makes a front page headline. Every missed or scored ton by Sachin Tendulkar makes a sizzling story for cricket fans. Every clash with Pakistan is made to look like a clash of the century.  And every victory evokes loud celebrations across the country. However, this popularity is restricted to men’s cricket. Women’s cricket is far from evoking any emotions – even if it’s nothing less than a World Cup and that too being played on the home ground.

Indian women cricketers may not be getting the same support that their male counterparts enjoy, however they are all set to kick off Women’s World Cup 2013 event today. India team will be clashing with West Indies in Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium. Other teams in the tournament include Australia, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand.

The Indian women’s cricket team is being led by Mithali Raj, world number 1 batswoman. The team also includes former captain Jhulan Goswami whose experience will count tremendously.  Other key players on the Indian side include Amita Sharma, Harmanpreet, Gouhar Sultana, Nirannjana Nagarajan, and Sulakshana Naik (wicket-keeper). The team also includes former captain Jhulan Goswami.

Indian team is in Group A that includes West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka, while Group B features

Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, and Pakistan.

The favorites continue to be Australian team that has won the World Cup five times. England team who won the last world cup will be doing everything to retain the title.

The big question is whether the event will draw viewers, for a change? Will sports fans, in India and other participating countries, support women’s cricket?

It’s not just in India but elsewhere too, women’s cricket is not as popular. And what would be a better opportunity than a World Cup to promote the game and the players?

While men cricketers are larger than life icons, dominating all print, TV, and air space, women cricketers are like alien personalities who may be brilliant but no one knows or cares to know them. They don’t feature in any endorsements. You don’t see them offering a product or service, through billboards on the roadsides. You won’t find them on the ramps or in fun events with other celebrities. They are the true sports personalities who are focused on their game. They are the ones who need everyone’s support – let’s not keep it all for their male counterparts. Let’s know women cricketers, watch them play, and celebrate with them in their victories.

With or without the crowds, a cricketing fight is about to begin for the World Cup 2013. And there is nothing gentlemanly about it.

Image: Guardian

Women in US have been long fighting in the battle zones however their involvement has been somewhat restricted.

Defense secretary Leon Panetta has now decided to lift the ban on women serving in combat. As women have already been serving almost unrestricted in Navy and Air Force, the latest announcement will expand their involvement in Army and Marine Corps, which so far have been dominated by men.

While many question the move, female veterans and activists have welcomed the announcement. The groundbreaking step will open up women’s entry into elite commando jobs, special operation forces such as Navy SEALS and the Army’s Delta Force.

Gender equality cannot be achieved without giving women an equal opportunity in all areas including combat jobs. Countries like New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Israel and Sweden already allow women to serve in all army positions. Others like India are still far behind – India for example didn’t even allow women as permanent officers in military until recently. They were recruited as Short-Service Commissioned (SSC) officers for 5 years. The petition to allow women in combat has been pending with government for many years. Even today, on the occasion of National Girl Child Day, and in light of Pentagon’s announcement, Indian Defense Minister made it clear that government has no plan to open up combat to women.

United States of America has been gradually making the way for women into combat. As per Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, Sen. Carl Leven, the announcement to allow women in combat is a reflection of the realities of 21st century military operations. This follows President Barack Obama’s emphatic push for equal rights for all men and women during his inaugural speech on Monday.

The 1994 Pentagon policy prohibited women from being in combat units below the brigade level. But the war in Iraq and Afghanistan broadened women’s role. While they couldn’t be fighting on frontlines, they were there to provide medical aid, air support, and intelligence input to their units. These recent realities and the ongoing lawsuits, which challenged Pentagon’s ban on women serving in combat, forced military leaders to rethink the policy and they submitted their recommendation to Defense Secretary last week. A formal announcement, by Defense Secretary, is expected today.

There were many reasons why the combat was a closed door for women. Many believed that women don’t have the strength and stamina to go through rigorous training required for various kinds of military operations. There was also a fear that many Americans might not be able to handle the news of many women soldiers being killed in combat. Some worried about the impact of women’s presence on the morale and the unity of troops. Some even believed that most women themselves wouldn’t want to be part of dangerous jobs. But veteran Jon Soltz puts it in perspective – “when you’re looking for the best of the best you cast a wide net. There are women who can meet these standards, and they have a right to compete.”

In November 2012, US opened up to allow women to serve on submarines.  In February, 2012, US lifted the ban on women for about 14,000 combat roles. Still women constitute only 14.5 percent of US military. The latest announcement of lifting the ban would open up thousands of new job opportunities for women in US.

“We are thrilled to hear Secretary Panetta’s announcement today recognizing that qualified women will have the same chance to distinguish themselves in combat as their brothers-in-arms, which they actually already have been doing with valor and distinction,” Ariela Migdal, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, said in statement to AFP. “But we welcome this statement with cautious optimism, as we hope that it will be implemented fairly and quickly so that servicewomen can receive the same recognition for their service as their male counterparts.”

This is truly empowering news for all women – the lifting of ban gives American women an equal chance to succeed in military – and amplifies the demands for gender equality in other fields and other parts of the world.

Women in India, for example, still cannot have an entry into combat roles. In 1992, India threw open the doors for women entry as regular officers in engineering, education, aviation, medical, logistics, and law cadres. But their involvement is highly restricted. They are not even allowed as fighter pilots in Indian Air Force.

The Indian parliament was informed that there has been an increase of 67% in recruitment of women officers in army, navy, and air force in last 3 years. But there is no plan or proposal to induct women in combat roles, or to have a special drive to recruit rural women into armed forces. The unrestricted entry of women in combat roles in US may force countries like India to revisit their policies.

“Women serving in the Indian armed forces is an evolving process. Till 1992, women were never recruited. Now we get permanently absorbed into some of the streams of service. We have come far ahead since the time we started out. I am sure time will come when we will do combat roles too. But it is still a little far away,” a serving woman officer in the rank of an Indian army captain told IANS.

For more analysis read CNN story: Former Troops Say Time Has Come for Women in Combat Units

Image: google

Rapes and gangrapes are continuing to make headlines in India proving that short lived protests, occasional candle light vigils, or temporary measures won’t curtail sexual violence against women in this country. Those who want to see a real change – an India that is safe for women – need to keep the pressure on.

Recent incidents indicate that absolutely no place is safe for girls and women in India. Whether it is a bus stand, a school, a police station, or a hospital – whether it’s Delhi, the capital of India, Chandigarh, the best planned city of India, Goa, a tourist destination, or some remote village or tribal region – women aren’t out of harm’s way anywhere.

In Delhi alone, about 50 new rape cases have been registered since the brutal gangrape and murder of 23 year old Jyoti. The massive protests that followed that incident seem to have at least emboldened women to come forward and register cases of sexual violence in India more openly.

In a society where rape is considered to be a social stigma most women don’t even report the incidents fearing that they would be looked down upon. Often families also advise girls to keep their mouth shut for they know that their daughters will be raped all over again in police stations and in courts through vulgar questions. Also it’s not uncommon in India that a victim is seen as “available for all” by many in the police stations and communities and therefore subjected to more sexual assaults and harassment.

[Read: Rape Can Do Anything But Steal The Honor]

Recently, two teenage girls self immolated themselves after being raped. It was the feeling of “shame” that drove them to ending their lives. Actually, their country should be shamed for not being able to protect them, the society should be shamed for making them feel that way, and those who committed the crime should be shamed and sentenced.

Just two days ago, a tribal woman was raped in a district hospital in Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Those who preach that women shouldn’t step out of home alone should note that this lady wasn’t alone. Her husband was accompanying her when 6 men started teasing her. When her husband objected, he was beaten and tied to a tree. And men raped her repeatedly stopping only when she started bleeding profusely.

Last week, a young lady was on her way to Mohali for a job interview. She was looking forward to start her career. Her excitement turned into horror when two men pulled her into their car. She was standing at the Chandigarh bus stand in broad day light when the duo approached her, at the pretext of seeking direction. She was driven all the way to Bhatinda, 250KM away from Chandigarh, raped repeatedly for 2 days, and then abandoned on a road side. She continues to battle for her life in a hospital in Bhatinda.

In yet another horrific incident, last week, a 7 year girl child was inhumanely raped in her school toilet in Goa. School authorities instead of promptly reporting the incident to police, cleaned up the toilet, washed child’s blood soaked clothes, and only then approached police – after all the evidence was erased. Police is yet to trace the suspect. What has compounded the agony for the family is irresponsible and insensitivity displayed by the school authorities. An official from the school allegedly told girl’s father, “Your child doesn’t seem to be suffering that much”. Basically, school authorities are trying to safeguard their own reputation rather than doing everything to first help the affected child and then take steps to ensure this doesn’t happen to any other child in the school.

While the change in systems or in mindsets is far from taking root, cries for justice and open debates on sexual violence and women rights have given women some hope. A hope that if we continue to demand a change incessantly, it shall come. If we continue to push, solutions will emerge. Doesn’t matter how rotten the system is, how sick the mindsets are, how vulnerable women are today, if voices for women’s rights are cohesive and strong a change will come.

Image: NDTV

“The day I start working, I will ensure that my father can rest at home. He has always toiled for my welfare.”  Those were the words of Prema Jayakumar when she got the news that she has topped the All India Chartered Accountant exam.

Prema’s father has been driving an auto-rickshaw for the past 20 years to support his family of four. A single 300 sq. feet room is all that they have for living, studying, or sleeping. That too in a community in Malad where neighbors live almost on top of you – sparing no room for privacy or quietude required to prepare for highly competitive exams such as CA.

“Neighbors have been very kind. They maintained calm to ensure we weren’t disturbed,” says 22 year old Dhanraj, Prema’s brother, who also cleared the CA exam, bringing double the joys for the family. Dhanraj credits his success to his older sister. It was their very first shot at the exam and they both cleared with flying colors. “We always studied together. My sister has been my guiding force,” proud Dhanraj adds.

This is not the first time Prema has topped some exam. She has been a star all along in academics. She ranked 2nd in Mumbai University, in B Com third year exams. At school level too she excelled in studies, earning regular scholarship that came handy in paying school fees.

Her brother also worked in Call Center whenever there was a need for extra money but they never compromised on their studies. Once they started doing articleship, money wasn’t really a problem.

“Despite my father being an auto-rickshaw driver, he ensured that I was never deprived of education because of lack of money. I also earned scholarships at various levels. Today, I want to thank them all for their support and motivation. It is now my dream to give back to my parents all that they have given me,” Prema told India Today.

Ever since the news broke on Monday, Prema has turned into a celebrity in Malad. Many cannot clear CA exam even after multiple attempts but Prema and her brother cracked it in their very first attempt and not only that, beating all odds, Prema topped the exam in the whole country. That is an inspiration to all.

“We were never pressurized by our parents to study. However, we knew that education is our only means to change the lives we have lived. Now that my brother and I have reached this stage, we would like to make most of it and give our parents a good life. They have always done a lot for us in whatever circumstances we lived,” Prema added while speaking to India Today.

It’s an incredible story of hard work and determination. Yet another example that given equal opportunity, girls can shine too.

Prem Lata was in her mid thirties when she lost her husband to Kargil Conflict that raged between India and Pakistan in 1999. With him she lost her joys, only support and her only source of income. She would have also lost her desire to live if she didn’t have the smiles of two daughters with her – Neha, a 5 year old and Chanda (nickname), a 3 year old.

Daughters gave Prem Lata strength, a reason to live, and also a hope for better tomorrow. Prem Lata was broken but she knew that she had the responsibility to provide for her young daughters. And she knew she didn’t have anyone else that she could depend upon for help.

Prem Lata lived in a small village in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh – a place that offered a view of mighty Himalayas, a wide window to nature, and an army of nice and supportive neighbors. But it lacked the most important thing that Prem Lata needed – an economic opportunity – a job that she could take up to support her daughters, herself, and her old parents in law.

She was young and beautiful. Many suggested that she should remarry. But Prem Lata knew what she wanted. In spite of not having enough money, in spite of not being educated enough herself, Prem Lata made her daughters’ education her sole mission in life.

It didn’t matter to her that certain sections of the society, that she lived in, constantly reminded her that she was a widow – an unlucky one who could cast her ominous shadow on those who came close to her. Her parents in law also passed away soon leaving her alone with young daughters but she wasn’t one to give up the fight.

Her husband, an Indian army jawan, laid his life while protecting his motherland and government pension took many months to come about. Finally, when it did, Prem Lata realized that it wouldn’t be sufficient to send her two daughters to a good school. She tried getting a government job to make up for the gap but not having minimum required education became a hindrance.

Prem Lata was ready to compromise on everything except for Neha and Chanda’s education – she got them admitted in the region’s best school.

She worked in the fields – sold produce – to support the family. And she continues to do so.

Today, Neha is in the most critical years of her education – going to be in 12thsoon. In 10th, Neha ranked among the top 10 students in the state. Aspiring to be a doctor, she continues to do exceptionally well in academics.

Neha’s dedication to studies won her more support along the way. Her school teachers not only provided her constant encouragement but also contributed some towards her fee out of their own pockets.

Her younger sister, Chanda, doesn’t need to look far for inspiration. She’s closely following her big sister’s footsteps.

The two sisters have grown up into lovely young ladies. They don’t have too many memories of their father however, they both are very proud of him. They are strong, confident, and full of dreams. Above all, they are aware of all that their mother has been going through to support them.

Prem Lata is a proud mom who can’t wait to see her daughters in college and then pursue their dream careers.

Her eyes still reflect her immense loss. But on her face you only see one thing – a resolve of a mother to give her daughters everything that she can – a promise to not allow circumstances beat her down – a resilient pledge to secure her daughters’ future.

When the dream so deep, and effort so resolute, no challenge is challenging enough!

Let’s salute Prem Lata for fighting all odds to get Neha and Chanda educated. Let’s also salute all those who helped and supported, and continue to do so, in Prem Lata and her daughers’ journey into a better tomorrow!

Wishing Neha and Chanda a glorious future!

Also Read: Prema, Daughter of an Auto-Rikshaw Driver, Tops All India CA Exam

Image: Manushi.org

In a society where every 22 minutes a woman is raped, and where survivors are made to live a life of isolation and dishonor, only a Sohaila Abdulali can teach the true meaning of rape. Rape is anything but izzat lootna (stealing the honor), she explains.

“Rape is horrible. But it is not horrible for all the reasons that have been drilled into the heads of Indian women. It is horrible because you are violated, you are scared, someone else takes control of your body and hurts you in the most intimate way. It is not horrible because you lose your “virtue.” It is not horrible because your father and your brother are dishonored. I reject the notion that my virtue is located in my vagina, just as I reject the notion that men’s brains are in their genitals,” she punched all myths. (Source: The New York Times)

Sohaila was gang-raped by 4 men, in Mumbai, when she was hardly 17. But like a warrior, she fought. When denied justice, she unleashed the pain, anger, and above all the power within into a fiery essay.  “I Fought For My Life …And Won!” she wrote. Through her words, she not only fought for herself but for the whole womankind.

Society would have liked her to feel ashamed and her family dishonored but Sohaila, and her family, refused to oblige.

“Being raped was terrible beyond words, but I think being alive is more important. When a woman is denied the right to feel this, there is something very wrong in our value system,” Sohaila added.

Today, 32 years after the incident, Sohaila is a successful woman who’s living her dream in US along with her husband and daughter. She is an author, freelance editor, public speaker, teacher, and a voice for all women.

In a recent article for The New York Times Sohaila stresses, “I WAS WOUNDED; MY HONOR WASN’T.”

Her latest article and the original essay are a must read for all women and girls on this planet. It’s the kind of knowledge and power they all need to survive and excel in this world where many treat women as merely sex objects.

Thanks Sohaila! We salute you!

Aamir Khan, the Bollywood superstar, is helping an NGO build a shelter in Ahmedanagar for wronged women and abandoned girls.

The 8 acre facility will offer accommodation for abandoned girls and women, medical care for mistreated pregnant or ailing women, and schooling for young girls. It will even provide security to girls threatened for marrying outside their cast and community.

Through his reality show Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan exposed widespread violence against women in India, particularly highlighting female feticide and dowry deaths. The actor activist is taking his fight forward showing by example that we all can make a difference at our levels.

Many girls are killed or abandoned by their own families, many are kidnapped and pushed to flesh trade, many are killed in the name of honor, many are burnt alive for dowry, many are throttled for not bearing children, and many remain locked in their homes living a life of suffocation and oppression.

(READ: Save Girl Child – India and China Killing Her)

These are the evils that won’t disappear from the society overnight. But thanks to Aamir Khan for giving hope, and for showing the path!

Image: pbase

Sometimes she would come and ring my door bell, say an endearing “Good Morning”, wait around for a candy, and then leave with a tiny-tooth smile. Her eyes were large and expressive.  She was a pretty little girl having dark complexion and full cheeks. In the mornings, she looked fresh and ready to spread smile. Her hair short and nicely combed to the sides. She sported a black kohl dot on her forehead, over the left eye. But by evening, she looked like an abandoned child – roaming around the compound barefoot, hair fanned in all directions and dust all over her face, hands, feet, and clothes.

Ask her, “Aapka naam kaya hai (What’s your name?)” and she would promptly and proudly reply, “Preeti.” If you probe her further, “School nahin jaate ho (Don’t you go to school?)”, she would suddenly feel shy and respond with a low toned “nah (no)” and avoid any further questions.

She lived behind my residence at the time, in a house that was built for demolition – one of those temporary structures you see in India that lot owners erect just to show the occupation of the land on papers. Preeti lived in that old makeshift house along with three other family members – her parents and a younger sister. Her father, a lean thirty something man, was apparently hired as a caretaker of the property.

I often spotted Preeti on my way to office – playing in the compound with her younger sister who must have been around three years old. Preeti herself was somewhere between 5 and 6. Her mother who was heavily pregnant could be seen brooming the floor or simply idling around. But she kept an eye on the sisters and prompted them to say “good morning” as I passed by.

One Sunday morning, Preeti rang my door bell to wish me “Good Morning” and to get a candy in award.  I told her that she would get the candy only if she went to school. But she refused to budge. Pointing towards her younger sister, who was sitting below the steps, she said, “chotee ke liye de do (give for my younger sister). When I still didn’t oblige, she left in disappointment – looking back at least thrice hoping that I might change my mind. I really felt like giving her something but chose not to for I had also realized that my “always giving on her asking” was encouraging a wrong habit in her and in her mother as well.

Her mother, who was a stay home mom, had started sending Preeti asking for small things like drinking water, pickle, rice, food container, etc. She would sometimes even come to use my phone to give a call to her dad who had started doing odd jobs, apart from being a caretaker of the property.

That Sunday, Preeti returned with a new hope. I opened the door as she rang the bell.

“Chocolate,” she said and started scratching the door with eyes down.

“First school. School kab ja rahe ho (When are you going to school)?” I asked.

“Papa ne bola, pahle Babu school jayega (Papa said that first Babu will go to school),” she said.

“Kaun Babu (Babu, who)?” I asked wondering who she was referring to.

“Babu,” she repeated giving me a look that she was telling something obvious.

When I still appeared puzzled, she voluntarily added, “Mummy ke pet main Babu hai (Mummy has a Babu in her stomach).”

I couldn’t help laughing loudly. I had heard kids (as taught by elders in the family) in India announcing, “Mummy ke pet main bhaiya (brother) hai.” This was the first time I was hearing a baby boy being referred as “Babu”.

Babu or Baabu is a Hindi word for Mr. in English. It’s commonly used to refer to male public servants. Later I learnt that in a few northern states in India, baby boys are called as Babus and baby girls – well, just girls!

“Babu” is a term that British Raj gave to India, and one that continues to rule the psychs of many wannable employees and their families. During British Raj, people serving in government positions were called Babus. It refers to someone well educated and in a position of authority. Babus also earned well, and enjoyed many government provided special benefits, so were highly respected in the society. Even today, being in some government job is the ultimate goal of life for many.

“Wow! Born officers,” I thought.

Preeti couldn’t understand why I had laughed. “Hai (It’s there),” she reiterated thinking that I was not believing her.

“Aapko kaise pata (How do you know)?” I asked the unnecessary question. It was unnecessary because there were only two possibilities – either it was a wishful prediction or her parents had got a illegal sex determining ultrasound done. And both were beyond the comprehension of a 5-6 year old.

But Preeti’s education plan, crafted by her parents, was now clear to me – she would get to go to school once her brother arrives, grows up to being a 4-5 yr old, and starts going to school. And of course, it will depend upon the financial state of the family i.e. whether or not they have spare money to spend on Preeti’s  studies. By that time, Preeti would be 11 – close to a marriageable age. Remember, 28% of the girls in India are married off much before they hit 20.

Preeti’s father was a nice guy – it’s just that his financial state was really bad and he didn’t seem to be trying hard enough to find a better job. When he was told about a school, in the neighborhood, that offers completely free education up to 10th standard he agreed, when persuaded a little, to get Preeti enrolled. The Trust run school not only provides students free books, notebooks, uniform, and lunch but also gives them some cash money as an annual stipend. Its mission is to provide equal education opportunity to kids from lower income families. It was hardly at 5 minutes walk from where Preeti lived. Unfortunately, it was middle of the year so school authorities had no choice but to ask Preeti to wait for a few months for the new sessions to start.

Preeti was provided some books and a home tutor in the mean time so that her year is not fully lost. And she was getting her well deserved candies.

A few days after that, another girl arrived in Preeti’s family that was expecting a boy, the Babu. While her parents did not appear shell shocked outwardly, internally they were devastated. Delhi NCR, the national capital region of India that gives hopes to millions, had not helped them much. They were living in a crumbling house, at the mercy of their land owner. The couple had come alone to the city and now they had three young daughters to take care of. Just one person doing multiple small jobs was not bringing much. They decided to move back to their village – at least they had a small house and a piece of land that they could call their own there – they thought.

One day, Preeti did not come to wish me Good Morning. The family had left the place, for good, I learnt. She was gone – just like that. Gone without saying goodbyes, without collecting her new set of books, without learning to count, and without mastering to write her pretty name.

Gone – without even learning how to spell “Good Morning”!

In April 2010, India became one of the 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child, aged between 6-14 years, under the Right to Education (RTE) act. But ensuring that no child is held back continues to be a challenge for those responsible for enforcing the act.