hidden image

The Girl Under the Streetlight...

Robert Clements Robert Clements
08 Jul 2024

It was somewhere close to midnight. As I drove down the dark road, I saw her.

Not just her, but under each streetlight along the pavement, other children like her sat, staring with absolute concentration at study books on their laps.

I watched the little girl, maybe twelve or thirteen, and on her face lit by the weak rays of the overhead street light, was a look of single-minded intentness and deep concentration.

She was not bothered by the sound of my car or other traffic on the road, nor did the honking and beeping that broke the silence of the night perturb her in the least. Her eyes were focused on her book, and there was no doubt her mind was on the subject matter therein.

She sat in a public place, bearing the brunt of public stares, some curious, some inquiring, some inquisitive, some prying and some plain snoopy, but for her, those eyes did not disturb, because hers were on her studies!

And as I watched this little girl, my mind went to this country of mine:

A country where political leaders who have never studied or have never understood the need for intellectual thought are placed in charge of education.

A country where huge talks are given about gender equality even as the men, firmly under the guise of love jihad and protectiveness, firmly push their girls away from higher studies and into their kitchens.

We forget the sacrifices of such children when we have exam centres where cheating is done under the very noses of the bribed teachers.

We forget such children when we change history and facts, not realising that they are putting in all their time and intent to be fed with knowledge and truth, not false facts made up in a political party's fake laboratory.

We forget that that little girl studying under a streetlight may be laughed at if she goes abroad to study and writes weird fictitious stories about our ancient spaceships, rockets, and legendary internet, which are printed in the same textbook she stares at under the streetlight.

Tomorrow, that little girl will find herself horribly ill-equipped to handle a job because some education ministry decided not to educate but to feed propaganda material to the children of our country.

The ills that plague this country are legion, but if we could feed the next generation with truth and facts, if we could throw out politicians behind the recent exam paper leakage scams, then we would do some justice to the little girl and millions of other children who study under streetlights or dim lamps in their homes!

The little girl closed her book and looked dreamily into the distance, even as tears rolled down my cheeks as I wept for her and all the children of our country..!
 

Recent Posts

Kejriwal's political journey from anti-corruption crusader to Delhi CM ended in defeat as AAP lost the 2025 election. His ambition, corruption allegations, soft Hindutva approach, and refusal to ally
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
17 Feb 2025
Delhi's glaring contrasts reveal the struggle between affluence and homelessness. While the CM has made a "Sheesh Mahal" for himself, inadequate shelter facilities, apathy, and exclusionary practices
apicture M L Satyan
17 Feb 2025
Akbar Road's potential renaming reflects the current tendency to erase all Muslim heritage in India. Akbar exemplified secular governance, embracing diversity and justice, promoting education, and res
apicture A. J. Philip
17 Feb 2025
Manipur's tragedy highlights two years of inter-community violence, claiming hundreds of lives, displacing thousands, and destroying properties. Leadership failures, political opportunism, and complic
apicture George Plathottam
17 Feb 2025
Trump's deportation of 104 chained Indian immigrants highlights the desperation of those who paid agents lakhs for illegal entry. Despite India's purported "vikas," the actual vast economic gap with d
apicture Isaac Harold Gomes
17 Feb 2025
Support can uplift the genuinely needy but risks being exploited by the corrupt by moulding it into revadi culture to woo voters. True justice requires tackling socio-economic disparities, not offerin
apicture P. A. Chacko
17 Feb 2025
In Air Becomes Breath, Fr Dr Jacob Naluparayil crafts a symphony of spiritual inquiry, weaving homiletic tradition with the fresh, invigorating rhythms of Pope Francis' vision for preaching.
apicture Fr. Gaurav Nair
17 Feb 2025
Edward Berger's 2024 film, Conclave, adapted from Robert Harris' 2016 novel of the same name, is a riveting and thought-provoking thriller that delves into the insulated and inscrutable world of the V
apicture Sacaria Joseph
17 Feb 2025
Indian weddings are shifting towards mindful, intimate celebrations prioritising sustainability, authenticity, and financial prudence. Rising costs, ethical concerns, and personal expression drive
apicture Anantha Padmanabhan
17 Feb 2025
Use the court, or use the vote, and see the Toothpicks flee..!
apicture Robert Clements
17 Feb 2025