Ambikas Article in Deccan Herald!

Most Gracious ILites,
Todays Deccan Herald carries an article written by our Ambika. Heres the link
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanhe...0442007117.asp

Please read it and post your views here.
sridhar

Dear Ambika,
The article carries the Ambika trade mark. Incisive analysis, words sitting at the right places and the whole thing interlaced with an unmistakable feeling of compassion.
The flame of universal love which all of us admired in your very first middle is kept intact as is evidenced by your social concerns eminently evidenced by this article.
Good work, Ambika.
regards,
sridhar

Dear Ambika,

Indeed a very well written piece to bring out social awareness about child exploitation. Yes we have a long way to go In India, in order to protect all our children.
Sexual exploitation happens in the west too. But here we are all more aware, and there is a system to identify child molestors, pedophiles and that does put a sight damper on these animals.

Thanks Sridhar for bringing this artcile to our notice. Ambika looking forward to reading more of your middles.

Vandhana

Dear Ambika,

That is exactly what your middle in DH is. Not just a good article, but a useful one for parents and educators. Child abusers often get away since the victim is vulnerable and lacks a voice. More articles like yours will widen the awareness.

Thanks Sridhar for posting this in IL.

Dear Ambika,

After reading a poetic prose on the tarkariamma, reading this straight to the point article on child exploitation, revealed a socially responsible and sensible person in you. Its highly alarming that the child abuse is increasing rapidly in our society. Many of us are left without a clue on how to protect our kids.
Awareness is foremost. I keep telling my kid not to let any starnager touch her..
But how stunned we are to know that abuse happens within the quarters of the haven that is deemed to be safe! One of my friends got married and settled down in Europe. She had a lovely kid and to the world, theirs was a happy marriage, until one day when she retturned to india for good with her 10 year old daughter. What she revealed to me then, shook the hell out of me. Her hubby started assaulting her kid and even after bold encounters from her part resumed to do so. She was a housewife and totally dependant on him for money. When she realised things would not change, she secretly informed her parents and they arranged for her trip back home. Now she is here working in an MNC bringing her daughter up and TRYING to overcome what happened. Is it scary or what??
What i saw on OPrah one day ...this is quite common in the well-informed west.

Our kids may be well informed but the monster of child abuse looms large. We will do our bestt o protect them for sure!

Let me thank you Sridhar for posting the link for my article and also for voicing your appreciation in your trade mark manner. Since you don't get to see the hard copy, I sent you the link, but, you did me a favour by posting the link in IL. Thanks a lot..
Thanks Vandhana and Vidya for liking the article. This one is not a 'middle' Vidya, but an article published in a column called 'View Point' in DH's Panorama Section. Highly topical issues are dealt there. Though I have written on serious topics like 'Rape' 'Mental illness and Need for an Inclusive Society' 'Sex Education in Schools' etc ..I haven't posted them in this Forum, basically because I felt they are too serious. Poems and middles are generally appreciated by all, so I post them without any hesitation.
This particular piece is in response to the gruesome Noida killings, which sent shock waves all through the country. Not money, not jewellery, Children are our true assets, which need to be safeguarded.
Thanks and regards
ambika

Dear Pallavi

Thanks for your response, appreciating me and my writings...
genuine appreciation and encouragement truly hold up a torch on a writer's forward journey ..thanks again.
The real life incidents we come across like the one you mentioned are more frightening than fiction. What pain and agony that mother must have gone through...heart wrenching..!! Atleast she had the courage and determination to take charge of the situation , so could successfully put an end to the abuse..kudos and cheers to her...May life give her and her daughter all the happiness which is due to them..
regards
ambika

Dear Ambika,
Nice to know that you are a regular contributor to the 'View Point' section in DH. In the day to day busy life, many may not notice what is going on right under their nose. Such timely articles are an eye opener to many. I do wish that these are also published in the regional languages as the majority who go through such traumatic experiences are often found in the social strata who are unable to read in English. By that, I do not rule out the possibility of it happening in any and every socio-economic group.
Like Vandhana mentioned, it is rampant in the western world and even now, the news of abduction of two young boys is ruling the media. When young children are abused, it is a torture even to hear about it in the news media, leave alone experiencing the horror as a parent. My heart goes out to those children and their parents.

L, Kamla

Dear Kamla
I am not a regular contributor to 'View Point'..in fact there are no regulars there...that is the section we dread to submit our work, because acceptance is very tough...so whenever, or once in a blue moon when an article is submitted and is published, its an occasion to share it with friends and celebrate..thats the reason I sent the link to Sridhar ..and he made the celebration much more grand by posting in IL..
Child abuse is rampant in so many forms in the West..one Episode on Oprah's show left me badly shaken..in India, though the malady is there it has not reached that gigantic proportion I guess..or probably, 'Noida killings' is just the tip of the iceberg...fervently hoping it is not...
thanks for your response Kamla
regards
ambika