Life Desk :
These days, we-the unseasoned parents are on a form filling spree. The nursery hunt has turned into a nightmare. Their endless questionnaires and rounds of interviews seem a lot more arduous than the ones I prepared for in my last year of engineering.
My crafty better-half has left the uphill task of form filling to me. With a wry smile, he tells me to call him when his signatures are needed. Well, smart move, I’d say.
I sit down, armed with a fountain pen and a cup of coffee. These mini booklets will take at least an entire day.
The interrogation begins. The first question is about what we do together as a family. I rack my grey cells to come up with a unique answer. Going to the park every evening, building castles with Lego pieces, or sharing chocolate ice-cream sounds too mainstream. Slotting all these as what every parent does, I skip this question and move on to the next. What are the skills, talents and interests of your child, is the next one. 930 days are too short for me to judge my toddler’s expertise; but if talking incessantly and remaining wide awake throughout the night can be deemed a skill, then I have some excellent answers. The next one is relatively simple. Why this school? Because this institution has been imparting education since time immemorial and it’s an honour being a part of a school which focuses not only on academic, but also emotional, physical and spiritual development. This answer is duly copied and pasted to the other six school forms.
The next one was what my expectations are from the school. It goes without saying that I secretly wish for good mathematics and science scores from my child. Dabbling in badminton, and dancing at the annual show once in a while would be an added bonus. Besides that, I would want my child to be a tolerant human being. In these times, when ‘tolerance’ of a fellow human belonging to a different faith and race has become tough, I would want my child to embrace the differences and celebrate them. I wish for her to transcend all barriers of bias and expand her horizon.
Our democratic nation has started muffling the voices that air their concern. A distinguished personality like Aamir Khan, who has regaled us for decades with his power packed performances, is merely reduced to just a ‘Khan’ who should be sent to Pakistan, for carelessly sharing with us about his wife wanting to migrate to safer pastures. Does that mean the Indians settled world over-without whom our globetrotting Prime Minister would not get the grand reception he does – are any less patriotic? He became a star because he had tremendous talent to sustain himself in the Indian film industry. So, all the offended Indians, you did not do charity to make him a renowned actor. You watched and savoured his films for your own entertainment and pleasure. An award of one lakh rupees has been declared by a political party to anyone who slaps the actor. When such a party, which breeds on communal hatred blossoms-the country dies a little. When a brave officer who questions the system instead of stooping to massaging the arrogant politician’s ego is unceremoniously transferred out of state, India dies a little more. When we are questioned, judged and killed to death because of our choice of meat, the basic fabric of our country is destroyed. When the thinkers and intellectuals of our country start revolting, it’s time to introspect. It is the death of the democratic values and freedom of speech. It is the death of everything we learnt in school.
So when I sit down to fill in the form, I make a silent wish to the school. Help us in creating a young India which is a good judge, not judgemental. Who has strength of character, and is not subservient to a corrupt system. Who is capable of rising above faith, religion, culture and imbibing the pearls of humanity, kindness and tolerance?
—TNN
These days, we-the unseasoned parents are on a form filling spree. The nursery hunt has turned into a nightmare. Their endless questionnaires and rounds of interviews seem a lot more arduous than the ones I prepared for in my last year of engineering.
My crafty better-half has left the uphill task of form filling to me. With a wry smile, he tells me to call him when his signatures are needed. Well, smart move, I’d say.
I sit down, armed with a fountain pen and a cup of coffee. These mini booklets will take at least an entire day.
The interrogation begins. The first question is about what we do together as a family. I rack my grey cells to come up with a unique answer. Going to the park every evening, building castles with Lego pieces, or sharing chocolate ice-cream sounds too mainstream. Slotting all these as what every parent does, I skip this question and move on to the next. What are the skills, talents and interests of your child, is the next one. 930 days are too short for me to judge my toddler’s expertise; but if talking incessantly and remaining wide awake throughout the night can be deemed a skill, then I have some excellent answers. The next one is relatively simple. Why this school? Because this institution has been imparting education since time immemorial and it’s an honour being a part of a school which focuses not only on academic, but also emotional, physical and spiritual development. This answer is duly copied and pasted to the other six school forms.
The next one was what my expectations are from the school. It goes without saying that I secretly wish for good mathematics and science scores from my child. Dabbling in badminton, and dancing at the annual show once in a while would be an added bonus. Besides that, I would want my child to be a tolerant human being. In these times, when ‘tolerance’ of a fellow human belonging to a different faith and race has become tough, I would want my child to embrace the differences and celebrate them. I wish for her to transcend all barriers of bias and expand her horizon.
Our democratic nation has started muffling the voices that air their concern. A distinguished personality like Aamir Khan, who has regaled us for decades with his power packed performances, is merely reduced to just a ‘Khan’ who should be sent to Pakistan, for carelessly sharing with us about his wife wanting to migrate to safer pastures. Does that mean the Indians settled world over-without whom our globetrotting Prime Minister would not get the grand reception he does – are any less patriotic? He became a star because he had tremendous talent to sustain himself in the Indian film industry. So, all the offended Indians, you did not do charity to make him a renowned actor. You watched and savoured his films for your own entertainment and pleasure. An award of one lakh rupees has been declared by a political party to anyone who slaps the actor. When such a party, which breeds on communal hatred blossoms-the country dies a little. When a brave officer who questions the system instead of stooping to massaging the arrogant politician’s ego is unceremoniously transferred out of state, India dies a little more. When we are questioned, judged and killed to death because of our choice of meat, the basic fabric of our country is destroyed. When the thinkers and intellectuals of our country start revolting, it’s time to introspect. It is the death of the democratic values and freedom of speech. It is the death of everything we learnt in school.
So when I sit down to fill in the form, I make a silent wish to the school. Help us in creating a young India which is a good judge, not judgemental. Who has strength of character, and is not subservient to a corrupt system. Who is capable of rising above faith, religion, culture and imbibing the pearls of humanity, kindness and tolerance?
—TNN
