VEDANTA KHUSHI

"KHUSHI" is an AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, launched by Vedanta Resources plc, with a focus to sensitize people towards care for the underprivileged and deprived children – their Nutrition – Education – Health and overall development. Join Khushi on facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/vedantakhushi and send motivational stories at khushi.creatinghappiness@gmail.com . LET US MAKE INDIA A CHILD MALNOURISHED FREE NATION..

Fight for the Right of a Child

From the very beginning I hated children working in a tea-stall or hotel.  I was doing my Engineering from Bangalore and me and my few friends had no option but to stay out as the hostel accommodation was not available. So, we also had no option but to eat out as cooking was not possible and neither allowed by the land-lord.

So true, I am yet to meet a boy in college who has enough money to spend. Money was always an issue and what ever you do, one never has excess of it.

We were 3 friends, 2 were from Engineering background and one was doing MBA.

On routine, we use to have our breakfast, lunch and dinner at almost same hotel, which was on the MG Road.  Some thing that always disturbed me was getting served by a boy of 12-14 years. I always felt very uncomfortable. May be coz my brother is of the same age. My friends too felt the same and we generally discussed.

Our tempers were tested when one day this child slipped and the entire ‘masala dosa’ fell on a customer's shirt and trouser. The owner of the hotel started beating this child. All three of us got up and stopped the owner and separated the child.  By now he was bleeding.  A heated argument happened and we decided not to eat in any hotel which had child labour employed.

Initially, we had to travel and search for a place, but it was not difficult. We were right and we found that slowly our other engineers and management friends followed and stopped eating at joints where child labour was employed. It is just a matter of taking a decision.

We three completed our education but till we were in Bangalore, we just stuck to our decision.  We were happy to fight for the Right of the Child.  No Child Labour means No Child Labour.

I am “Khush” and I am sure my friends must be also “Khush”.  This “Khushi” stays within me always.

Many times you do good work but it is difficult to find a place for expressing that "Khushi". This initiative has given me that platform..

Sanjiv Kaul, New Delhi

15 comments:

  1. Unless we all take this step the child labour will not stop. Government and private companies are spending so much money to educate the children. Now even the SC has given directions still people need some more sense.. I am also an engineer and I completely align with the decision..

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  2. Thank you Mr. Sanjiv. I also completely align with the decision.

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  3. I admire your step but do you think still in that hotel the child might not be working ???????Yse aloofing ourself from the system is not the solution...child labour is banned we can inform to police..action should be taken against the hotel's owner..or just terrify them ..then only it will create a fear among others also...they will think 100 times to hire a child.

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  4. We need to come together against this cause. Its a thought provoking initiative.. we need SOLUTIONS now!

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  5. Good.Let us all promise ourselves we will not encourage anybody who engage child labour.

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  6. I am very impressed with the incident on "Right of the Child". What you see in different countries is the individual seriousness in dealing with the community issues. This blog or forum is good enough to express how people can contribute and is also recognized. I want to know what more does UNICEF report says on the nutrition in poor children.Can you update....

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  7. I want some information on Hungama report and also does it reflect the participation of Indian companies on nutrition. We see and keep reading about the new CSR policy by the Govt. What does Hungama report says besides the statistics. Which are the companies who are working towards providing food to under-privileged and deprived children of India.

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  8. I am very much happy to know that i am having some people's compaign with same thinking me have for child labour in hotels and 'dhabas'. They children are below age 15 years and having no education and are not treated well by their owners. I am thinking what unicef and govt.is doing? Why there is no action being taken for child labour that is the first necessity of a healthy and happy society and country. every person should involve in the compaign to stop child labour.

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  9. Good Mr. Sanjiv. I'm really very pleased by reading this. At some place it shows the presence of Humanity in humanbeing is still there. Child labour is the biggest issue in India. It must be stopped.

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  10. It is not just sensitizing people, the people also have to take the initiative to control these problems. We all need to join hands to ensure that people think positively towards these sensitive issues and address them in different forums. I would request my email id to be enrolled as a partner. I am forwarding it on the given email id. Prashant

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  11. Please let me know when can we have an open discussion on Nutrition. I feel it is a matter of shame if a child dies in our country for want of nutrition.

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  12. Rahul, we are in the process of enrolment and will shortly send a mail to all who would like to become 'Partner' in this campaign. Meanwhile please send a mail with your details to the email id mentioned.

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  13. your decision was very right and we suppport this but did you try to go a step ahead and to find that wouuld the child will be able to eat in the evening if he is not working and would you tried to take resposibilty to educate that poor one or your effort ended there only.

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    1. You are very correct in your approach. We did try explain them that your future is when you study and go to school. Fortunately, the government has a lot of policies that support free education. But the problem is the mentality. I would prefer not to be part of the problem atlest, if I think I cant solve the problem. Here we had this satisfaction that we did not support a wrong doing. But I really appreciate what you have commented.

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  14. it's really a great decision by you & we all should spread this in our whole country.

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