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grassroots A journal of the Press Institute of India promoting reportage on the human condition Rs 15 January 15, 2012 - Volume 4 Issue 1 I N S I D E India’s fastest woman lives For needy schoolchildren, he is the good Samaritan ...2 When women are unsafe in in poverty… and in hope God's Own Country ........... 3 Athletics has always been a neglected part of Indian sport for years. In a country where even the national sport, hockey, is given short shrift, chances of a promising young woman getting proper logistic and economic support to help her achieve her dreams seem remote. Despite the overwhelming apathy, it is the undaunted spirit of athletes, from Milkha Singh to P.T. Usha, that has kept athletic aspirations alive in India. Today, Asha Roy displays the same spirit Using dance as therapy to grassrootsprovide a new lease of life ........................................ 4 AJITHA MENON Exploited children in a he doesn’t get two square meals for her Bachelor’s degree. While However, to build on her railway station find a a day, lives in a mud house and her eldest and youngest sisters achievements and to ensure a long guardian angel ..................... 5 Shelps her father, a vegetable are already married, the second is career as a successful sportsperson, seller, eke out a meagre living. But a school dropout. Only Asha has what Asha desperately needs today despite the odds, Asha Roy is the managed to continue with her studies is something as basic as food. “I need fastest woman in India today, having and diligently pursue her dream of \WFS food, nutrition. I train from 7 am to 9 clocked 11.85 seconds in the 100- becoming one of the best athletes in am and then from 3 pm to 5 pm. I am metre dash at the 51st National Open the country. “I am illiterate and I could now concentrating only on the 100- Athletics Championships in Kolkata never get a proper job because of it. I Anik Dey metre sprint and hope to qualify for last year. The national record is 11.38 wanted my daughters to study. Asha the South Asian Federation (SAF) seconds – set by Rachita Mistry in is the only one who has sustained the Games, to be held in New Delhi in Thiruvananthapuram in 2000. The effort and is now studying for her Photos: 2012. But without proper nutrition or 21-year-old from Ghanshyampur, a degree,” says a proud Bholanath Roy, Away from the track, Asha makes competitive training, it’s going to be village in Singur in West Bengal’s Asha’s father. He earns just about Rs a meal for her family. extremely difficult. I seek help from Educating marginalised Hooghly District, also ran the fastest 3000 a month by selling vegetables everyone. I want to make my country difficult for the family to make ends youngsters, building in the 200 metres, clocking 24.36 door-to-door in his village. proud,” she says. Coach Chandra meet. However, we have encouraged seconds, and anchored Bengal’s Adds Bulu, 45, Asha’s homemaker is also concerned about her future, lives .......................................... 6 Asha in her running and never put 4x100-metre relay team, which won mother, “We live in abject poverty. given her extremely impoverished pressure on her to get married. We Families of BSF personnel the silver with a timing of 47.29 When my husband falls ill, it becomes background. As he puts it, “She has are unable to provide her with the seconds at the championships. reached this level through sheer grit know there’s somebody nutrition or training she requires to Asha, the third among four sisters, and determination and because she is to care for them .................... 7 become the best, but despite that Asha is a first-year student in Srirampore extremely hard-working. However, has thrived purely on her talent.” College in the same district, studying now that she has proven her worth, Life isn’t silky smooth for Coach Prabir Chandra spotted she certainly needs outside help.” farmers weaving the Asha when she came first at a school For Bholanath and Bulu, their meet as a student of Class III. “I fine, soft thread .................... 8 daughter’s success so far has been a discussed her talent with her father matter of great pride. “We are happy and when I realised how needy the and proud that Asha has made a name family was, I decided to take on the for herself. We have not given her full responsibility for her training,” much, except the freedom to follow recalls Chandra. He reveals that Asha her dream. She helps the family earn helps her father in selling vegetables a livelihood and eats frugally since for some time every day and then that’s all we can afford. But she has she trains, quite often on an empty trained tirelessly for years. We hope stomach. some support will come for her Under Chandra’s guidance, Asha now,” says Bholanath. started her athletic career. In Class It’s a different rath yatra – Both the Indian Railways and IV she became a member of the the State Government of West and it’s all about Bengal athletic team; in Class VI she Bengal have made promises of a communal amity ................. 10 participated in the Nationals. In 2004 job and monetary assistance after she won four gold medals and was her performance at the National Three years, two cyclones… given the honour of being the Best Open Meet. “Nothing concrete has Athlete in the school games. In 2006 and the Burmese materialised so far. If I get some she came second in the long jump still await relief .................... 11 offer, I will choose carefully so that and in the 100 metres at the Junior I can train well for the SAF Games Nationals. In 2009, she won the gold and then the Olympics,” says Asha. for 100 metres at the Indo-Bangla But she adds that she is not going to International Meet and in 2010 she be dependent on it. “I have struggled Wishing You a Very Happy won the silver at the University Meet. so far and am willing to do so in Last year, she has bagged the gold in future if need be, with the support of and Prosperous the 100-metre and 200-metre races Asha Roy training with her coach Prabir my family and coach.” < Chandra, and (right) the fastest Indian and the silver in the 400-metre relay New Year! woman proudly shows off her medal. in the National Open Athletics Meet. (Courtesy: Women’s Feature Service) grassroots January 15, 2012 2 A journal of the Press Institute of India promoting the human condition grassroots FOCUS For needy schoolchildren, he is the good Samaritan He walked barefoot five miles to school and remembers the difficulties he had to undergo while pursuing education. His experience has inspired him to help and encourage needy children in state-run schools, especially those in rural India, by gifting them dictionaries, atlases, even furniture. N. Subramanian is convinced that if each senior citizen has the urge to give back to society in whatever way possible, there will be many chains going and society will become better, more equitable and advanced SUSAN PHILIP, Chennai points out. The condition of Chennai Thiruvalluvar. “I feel these are gifts good work is best done collectively. Corporation schools is gradually no one can forget or throw out, unlike He gathered together 15 like-minded improving, he acknowledges, but sees other things which may be discarded”, colleagues who each contributed immense scope for improvement. he explains. some funds, and they bought furniture Subramanian is a man with a Subramanian started his and books for children in a needy mission. “I thought education is a philanthropic work immediately after school. But ever since then, he’s been good field to work in, especially retirement. He is of the view that up traversing a lone path. “This way, I where very small children are until the age of 60, a man can only can do what I want the way I want concerned,” he says. “I concentrate be expected to help those in need to to,” he says. on children in Corporation, Panchayat the extent possible. However, post Subramanian has a soft corner and Adi-Dravidar schools studying in retirement, most people would have for the institution where he had Standard I as I feel these children are discharged their major responsibilities his early education, as he feels it is even more at a disadvantage when to their families, and will find leisure responsible to a great degree for what it comes to education, than their and some amount of money at their he is today. At this village school, economic and social standing, when disposal. It is incumbent on senior his philanthropy extends to children compared to their elite counterparts. citizens to give back to society – to do of other classes and to the teachers, Children of affluent parents go dharmam or charity work, he feels. too. He has also given furniture through crèche, play-school, LKG No one knows his departure date and such as benches and cupboards, and and UKG before coming to Standard time, he says, resorting to Railway other necessities for learning, to I, whereas poor children, or children jargon. “We must all be prepared. The various schools. Subramanian spends in villages, start their education only most important time is now”. between Rs 2000 and Rs 4000 of his Photos: Susan Philip at the age of six.

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