I am in debt!

I AM IN DEBT!

Friends, I am in great debt!

It comes to my sleep as a nightmare. I don’t know how to repay my debt. I put a lot of thoughts in finding a way.

It shocks me, that I was not conscious about my debt till recently. When I realized, it was so painful.

Are you in debt? You may not be conscious about that. But, my story will help you in finding the depth of your debt.

When I was five years old, I got admission in the nearby aided school. I continued my lower primary education in that school for four years. Luckily there was a super guardian (May I call the super guardian as SG) for me, who was more concerned about my education and well being. My parents spent much less than what my SG spent on my education.

Then, I was elevated to the upper primary cum high school. That school was also situated in the same campus. It offered me quality education for six years. My teachers nurtured the potential in me. My school offered the first platforms for all my extracurricular activities. I don’t remember that I have paid anything for enjoying all these. But, I was sure that my SG had been paying for all those facilities.

After my secondary education, I got admission for Pre-degree course in a reputed college. My parents were not too much bothered about the financial impact of my education. We all knew that my SG would be there to support us. My SG was impressed by my performance in the Pre- degree examination and offered me a scholarship. I was so filled with joy!

I dedicated my next three years for a graduate program in Business Administration in a reputed university. My parents and SG shared the cost of my education. My SG was always there to support me in an indirect way. My SG spent liberally to make sure that I get the best education.

I opted to join for CA course. My SG was willing to support me in many ways. I could do the CA with small amount of money than I have expected. Yes, my SG was paying the rest for me through the ICAI. I was offered travelling concession through the Indian Railways.

Just imagine, as a professional my SG invested in me than my family did. How my SG did gather all these big money? It was offered by the kind and responsible people surrounding me. All of them are not rich. They include small traders, small farmers, agricultural workers, coolies and even the beggars and the s*x workers. Whenever he/she bought half kg rice/wheat in exchange for the invaluable coins earned by them, they offered a few coins for my education also.

Yes friends, even an individual below poverty line having no shelter, sleeping in the streets pay for our education. If he buys a match box to fire the waste paper to escape from mosquitoes in the street, he pays a few paisas to the public exchequer as indirect taxes. Our Super Guardian – the central and state governments spend that precious money for our food, shelter and education. Do all our fellow citizens enjoy the privilege of having enough food, shelter and education?  NO.

When we celebrate our extravaganza on dining table, nearly forty of every hundred Indians live below poverty line. He is not able to feed his children reasonably. Illiteracy is higher among those unfortunate brothers and sisters of educated professionals like you and me. The future citizens of this country are dying at their childhood itself. There are a lot of reasons for that - starvation death, health issues and insufficient medical facilities. We never experienced that. Their children are not provided sufficient education. Higher education is just a mirage for them. One in every three Indians lives in homes with a per capita space of less than 100 square feet. Our attached toilet and wash area occupy more than this space. Our energy consumption and utilization of infrastructure facilities can’t be compared with that of these under privileged.

All Indian citizens have the very same right for the resources of this nation. But a major portion of those citizens sacrificed their rights and facilities. People like you and me get much better support and facilities like good quality food, education and shelter.  All the worthy stuffs in me are their gift. They sacrificed their comfort and rights for me.

NO DOUBT, I AM GREATLY INDEBTED TO THEM!

I know I can’t repay my debts because their sacrifice is invaluable.

But, I can be grateful to them by thinking, speaking and acting for them.  Don’t alienate them!  We are duty bound to support them.

JAI HIND

Note: Information on poverty, illiteracy etc. have been collected from Wikipedia, The Times of India ol. Edition and the Economy watch.