Story of Sheela and Munni... not from Bollywood.

I found this article on BBC HINDI website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/india/2011/02/110206_sheela_munni_psa.shtml ).. tried best on google to retrieve more information, but every time i got result about Bollywood' munni and sheela only. This is also a reflection of how the media miss the real heroes (heroins in this case) and also the gap between

India and “Bharat”

So i thought of translating the article and sharing.

This is not about "badnaam" munni or "Jawan" Sheela.. of Bollywood. This is about two sisters from state of Chattisgarh.

Both are going to participate in Asian Fencing Championship to be held in Bangkok, Thailand. For those who don't know what fencing is... It is a sport played with metal swords.

So what is special... coming to that. Both are living with their labourer mother in city of Bilaspur, Chattisgarh. Mother of Munni Devangan and Sheela Devangan is a daily labourer and that is how the household goes.

When sheela won the silver medal in national championship last year, it was clear that she will represent the nation on international level. Younger sister Munni has also done well in national events and she will also be participating in Asian championship.

Sheela a eleventh standard student told that some 4 years ago while observing one fencing game in school, she realised .. its not a tough job.

But her confidence couldn't survive the reality of her family's abject poverty. For her labourer mother, it was not possible to purchase one sword, after paying the rent of one room house and household expenses.

Munni has to left school because it became impossible to provide for her school fees, and the family decided she will study at her own at home.

Sheela tells "I decided i have to do .. and i took help of the sports teacher and started practising with wood cane (lathi)..in place of the sword".

Seeing this passion a group of people came forward and arranged one sword for Sheela. When Sheela won the silver medal last year, congratulations came from every corner and people promised to help, family thought that now their days will change. But promises turned out to be hollow and nothing of that sort happened.

Mother Rukmani says "It is hard to earn even the daily meals, we don't have the BLP(Below Poverty Line) card either. In such situation i couldn't think anything when it came that i have to send them abroad for the championship"

All four in the family however decided they must do something and perhaps after championship fortune will change.

They decided to take some loan for "passport and other expenses" (yes this was text in original hindi article .. In India u need 1000 rupees to get the passport... and also some bribe to police to get it on time without hurdles) But who will give loan to a labourer. Finally on gurantee of girls' coach who is also secretary of fencing association, they got loan of 20000 rupees at rate of 5%.

D.R.Sahoo the coach says that if government can help them the girls can do miracles with their swords.. but their poverty is biggest curse for them.

They wil be participating in Asian Fencing Championship to be held in Bangkok from 4th to 12th march, but thing that is worrying them is how they will repay the loan if the government doesn't help.

This shows the state of poverty, sports, child welfare, corruption and apathy in today's India. India which so many Indians think is already a "superpower".

Raj Thakray's vicious politics: When Indians will learn from History ?

Recent events in Mumbai and some other cities of Maharashtra involving attacks on north indians particularly poor migrant workers from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are condemnable. Raj Thakray is desperate to gain his lost political ground after being thrown out the party run by his uncle. But in his pursuit of acceptability by masses he is practicing most vicious kind of politics of hatred not very much different from the so called hindutva parties like BJP and Shiv Sena. Politics of hate and division, of fear mongering and of narrow mindedness.

Recently I was reading a book named Time Zones by Joe Schlesinger, a renowned Canadian journalist who has been witness to some of the most important political events of the 20th century from second world war to the Islamic revolution in Iran.

Schlesinger writes -

" I have come to recognize some of the signs of the madness that leads to tragedies on a grand scale. Old grievances are resurrected and refurbished with new intensity. Ancient injustices are insufferably aggravated. Politics are elevated to religion. Religion is marred in politics. Nationalism is degraded by ideologies of exclusivity, racial superiority and supremacy. There are always scoundrels-demagogues and megalomaniacs posing as prophets and saviors – ready to light the match. And behind them, an army of self righteous fanatics, self-serving bureaucrats and opportunistic sycophants willing to feed the flames.
It is different every time. Yet it always starts the same way: with the loss of civility, reason and tolerance."

After reading this i am wondering on the similarity of politics of hatred, symptoms of which Schlesinger identifies so completely and politics of Thakray practiced here in India.

But more surprising and repulsive is to see several posts on the net supporting Raj, saying he is doing the right thing.

R.J's Remark and Indian Hypocricy

Remarks of one radio jokey Nitin on Red F.M has created havoc in eastern part of India. Several people got injured during violent clashes between communities in Bengal and other eastern states.
On the event of a young man from the Gorkha community declared winner in a T.V show called Indian Idol, the radio jokey was wondering, that since a gorkha have won who will take care of our homes during nights.

People like him are so irresponsible that during their superficial chatter they can not see what is coming out of their mouths. These mediocre people, they don't do anything creative to entertain, just foolish gibberish all day and night. There are so many F.M channels offering 24 hour broadcast, but the quality of content they offer is worst. What they say neither it is informative nor entertaining.

But this affair provides a good occassion for soul searching by Indians. What the DJ said is something that is established opinion of a many people. In a country that got rid of foreign powers and rascism just 60 years ago, rascial discrimination is a common thing. So people from Bihar are seen by contempt by many and so are people from Himalayan regions ( generally called Paharis). In Delhi, students from north indian states are referred to as 'Chinkis'.

But when someone called Shilpa Shetty 'Black' entire nation was enraged.

Movies I Liked..

Here is a list of Movies I liked

Hollywood:
Gandhi, Gone With the Wind, Schindler's List, Titanic, The Godfather

Hindi :
Saath Saath, Chasme Baddoor, Umrao Jaan, Do Bigha Jameen, Gol Maal, Saheb Bibi aur Gulam, Chupke Chupke, Bavarchi, Anand, Abhimaan, Mili, Anupama, Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Parichay, Masoom, Gharonda, Bazaar, Sholey, Waqt, Mother India, Awara, Jagte Raho, Katha, Mughal -e - Azam.

First Entry

Hello to everyone.
This is my first entry