Approximately half of India’s 1.2 billion people are under the age of 26, and by 2020 we are forecast to be the youngest country in the world, with a median age of 29 years. With this tremendous forecast, it becomes imperative to ensure an environment which promotes positive well-being. Unfortunately, India has the highest suicide rate in the world among the youth standing at 35.5 per 100,000 people for 2012, the last year for which numbers are available.

The reason for such high numbers can be attributed to lack of economic, social, and emotional resources. More specifically, academic pressure, workplace stress, social pressures, modernisation of urban centers, relationship concerns, and the breakdown of support systems. Some researchers have attributed the rise of youth suicide to urbanisation and the breakdown of the traditional large family support system. The clash of values within families is an important factor for young people in their lives. As young Indians become more progressive, their traditionalist households become less supportive of their choices pertaining to financial independence, marriage age, premarital sex, rehabilitation and taking care of the elderly.

Emile Durkheim (1966) described suicide as one of the crudest expressions of social phenomenon. Suicide, or the act of deliberately ending one’s own life, is a public health concern and a growing one among the younger age bracket. There are several risk factors that come into play that may be responsible for a suicidal attempt or completion of suicide. Some of those many factors include-

• being diagnosed with a mental health disorder such as depression or schizophrenia
• previous suicide attempts
• substance abuse
• burden of financial crisis
• family history of suicide
• poor job security or low levels of job satisfaction
• history of being abused or witnessing continuous abuse
• being diagnosed with a serious medical condition, such as cancer or HIV
• being socially discriminated or ostracised
• being exposed to suicidal behavior

There is a notable gender difference in the suicidal attempts and completion of suicide. Women are four times more likely than men to attempt suicide (make an attempt but not complete), whereas, men are twice more likely than women to complete the act of suicide. India is quoted to experience the highest rate of suicide among the age bracket of 15-29 years.

This leaves an impact on the development and well-being of individuals, societies and nations. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2015 quoted that every hour one student commits suicide in India. Parents and schools cannot prepare children mentally and psychologically for the many triggers in the world. Hence it is imperative that as a society we work to promote a positive environment. It is vital that organisations and governments receive support to promote mental health education and promote coping skills in youth.

Suicide is preventable.

The striking numbers around youth suicide are shameful!
There is about 1 suicide occurring every 40 seconds across the globe. Together, we must all stand up, speak up, and advocate for better policies and implementation of resources for mental health. We must view suicide as a condition needing treatment, not as a punishment. A multi-pronged approach must be taken to decrease the world’s suicide rate. Mental health education and resources for dealing with symptoms of mental health should be taught and promoted from an early age. Doing so will provide an avenue for the maintenance of dignity and help-seeking behavior.

If you know someone who is feeling suicidal or is emotionally distressed, tell them that you care for them. Being an active listener and being aware of signs of distress can help you to be there and make the person realise that you will help them and that they deserve to be helped. Being empathetic helps the person feel understood and heard. It is important to realise that feeling suicidal is not the nature of the person but a mere state of mind. People feel suicidal because they feel nothing else will work out and their death will solve the problem. Suicidal thoughts are often linked with a mental disorder and can be treated well. These are some ways we can help.

In India, suicide is more of a social and public health objective than a traditional exercise in the mental health sector. Mental health professionals, doctors and counselors can be reached out to manage suicidal tendencies. The proactive steps taken by several such professionals in the capacity of leaders has helped and has the potential to help save thousands of lives. There are several organisations, crisis centers and suicide prevention helplines that are offering a great support to the emotionally distressed and those individuals who feel suicidal. Some of the helplines that may be approached in times of need are:

• The Samaritans Mumbai– 022 6464 3267, 022 6565 3267, 022 6565 3247

Email: samaritans.helpline@gmail.com

Address – 402, Jasmine Apartments
Opposite Kala Kendra, Dadasaheb Phalke Road
Dadar (E) 400014
Mumbai

• MINDS Gujarat– +919033837227; info@mindsfoundation.org, BHavnagar and Vadodara, Gujarat
• Sikkim– 221152, Police Control Room, Gangtok
• iCall– +91 22 2556 3291, e-mail – icall@tiss.edu, Mumbai
• Thanal– 0495 237 1100

E-mail – thanal.calicut@gmail.com

Address – Iqra Hospital
Malamparamba, Calicut 673009
Kerala

• Prathyasa– +91-480 – 2820091

Address – Vidya Jothi
Cathedral Junction
Irinjalakuda 680 685

• Pratheeksha– +91 484 2448830

E-mail – rajiravi2000@hotmail.com

Address – Near Ambedkar Park
Peruvaram Road
North Paravur 683 513
Kerala

• Saath– 079 2630 5544, 079 2630 0222

Address – B12 Nilamber Complex
H.L. Commerce College Road
Navrangpura
Ahmedabad 380 006

• Roshni– 040 790 4646

E-mail – help@roshnihyd.org

Address – 1-8-303/48/21 Kalavathy Nivas
Sindhi Colony
S.P. Road
Secunderabad 500003

• Lifeline Foundation– +91 33 24637401, +91 33 24637432

Address – 17/1A Alipore Road
Sarat Bose Road 700 027
Kolkata

• Sumaitri– 011-23389090

E-mail- feelingsuicidal@sumaitri.net

Address – Sumaitri
Aradhana Hostel Complex
No. 1 Bhagwan Das Lane
Bhagwan Das Road
New Delhi

• Maithri– 91- 484 – 2540530

E-mail – maithrihelp@gmail.com

Address – ICTA Shantigram
Changampuzha Nagar (P.O.)
Kalamassery
Kochi 682 033

• Connecting India– 9922001122, 18002094353

Website – connectingngo.org

Address – Connecting Trust
Dastur Girls School
Moledina Road
Pune 411001

• Nagpur Suicide Prevention Helpline – 8888817666
• Sneha– 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060

E-mail – help@snehaindia.org

Address – #11, Park View Road
R.A. Puram
Chennai 600028

• Maitreyi– +91-413-339999

Address – 255 Thyagumudali Street
605001
Pondicherry

Will you join us in promoting mental health to end the stigma and decrease the suicide rate in India?

Written by Pragya Lodha, Associate Programme Developer, The MINDS Foundation and Raghu K Appasani, Founder and CEO, The MINDS Foundation

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“What do you want to be?”

Throughout my childhood and early youth, I had no definitive answer to that question. I remember feeling nervous each time it was asked. ‘Pilot’ was my first reply and the second, less interesting option—‘IAS officer’.

I didn’t end up becoming either of those and now work with The YP Foundation, an organisation that runs youth leadership programmes to advance the rights of young women and girls, and other marginalised young people.

The young are important now.

The demographic dividend has brought young people into focus more quickly and sharply in the last five years, than any work done by youth-led and -focused organisations.

The YP Foundation therefore has often found itself in consultations, donor meetings, trainings and other platforms for youth organisations to get together to consult, collaborate or co-learn.

Between vision, mission, elevator pitch and indicator tables, people always want to know our past record and future plans. And so I find myself back in my childhood, speaking to ‘adult’ organisations about what is it that we want to do.

But our voices don’t really count.

The development sector calls on youth organisations to mobilise young people for #MeaningfulYouthParticipation in the #SustainableDevelopmentGoals because #YouthVoicesCount.

There is a seat for youth in each meeting, but little or no room for them to lead the agenda. Political stance taking, critical questioning and pushing for rights based development continues to remain the turf of ‘adult’ organisations.

I was at a meeting on the ‘future of youth’ coordinated by a reputed international agency in 2016. It was interesting to see how the overarching focus of the meeting continued to be on skill development and vocational training even though most young people spoke directly and eloquently on the need to change the education system to create critical and questioning leaders.

With the internalised as well as imposed role of being the repositories of energy, hope and, of course, being seen as leaders of the future–always the future–the switch from #YouthPower to youth politics is not that easy.

“There is a seat for youth in each meeting, but little or no room for them to lead the agenda.”

Asking the questions that matter

At The YP Foundation we realised this when we undertook a strategic planning exercise in 2015. We asked ourselves ‘who we want to be’, instead of what we want to be or are supposed to be.

What are the repercussions of articulating a firm belief in the right of young people to give consent while working on issues of sex, sexuality and violence with children and youth? How does one talk about rights of young women and girls and articulate a stance on sex work without losing sight of the diversity and the commonalities among those sets of people?

Re-examining and affirming our organisational values through questions like these was just the start. It has taken conscious effort to remember them and negotiate organisational sustainability and growth.

..And the implications of answering them

Surviving: Sticking with values in the era of #CSR, #PPP and #scaling is not easy. For young and youth-led organisations, the decision to let go of a big funder who is not bought into the sex work issue, or declining government funding so as to be able to continue critiquing policy is many times also a question of sustenance and survival.

“The grants for youth work are large, but those for young youth organisations, are small and usually short term.”

Negotiating: The grants for youth work are large, but those for young youth organisations, are small and usually short term. For young organisations working with donors, larger nonprofits or influential professionals, there is often little room for negotiation. The dotted line for signing is straight and inflexible; you either sign or don’t.

Young people and organisations have little control over the questions they are asked and so can only hope to do what they are asked to do while being who they want to be.

Risk-taking: The burden of risk is always on youth-led organisations, whether one speaks the language of impact investment or the return per rupee of CSR. The onus of risk however, must be on the larger environment, to invest in youth-led organisations for the long haul.

What India’s young really want.

Embrace their politics and include their voices
In an era where ‘shrinking space’ is an oft repeated phrase, larger organisations and donors cannot shy away from politics or turn away from movements. On the contrary, they must contribute to creating a safer environment for new and youth-led organisations to engage with movements and the politics behind the issues.

“The onus of risk must be on the larger environment, to invest in youth-led organisations for the long haul.”

Forge ‘equal’ partnerships
They must acknowledge and fund the many spaces where young people are already engaging with politics and leading the way, and endeavor to learn and forge meaningful partnerships with them.

This is particularly relevant in the field of sexual and reproductive health and women’s rights in India where young people, and particularly young women have been at the forefront of public movements to claim autonomy over their rights and their bodies.

What the young can do

To the young leaders I would simply say:

• Grab the token seats at the table and make them count.
• Go beyond being thankful for being included.
• Ask the critical questions, speak the uncomfortable truth.
• Don’t stop at the fuzzy warm feeling of bringing ‘the target audience/community members’ to the table as a showcase.
• Place your identity and politics beyond the amorphous categorisation of ‘youth’ upfront.

Finally, if large, established organisations and funders really care about creating youth leadership for the ‘future’, today is the right time to start giving them that place at the leadership table and start listening—really listening—to their voices.

That is the way this sector can become an enabler for stronger, more politically aware and intersectional youth leadership of social change.

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Walking sticks have been assisting the elderly since time immemorial. From wood to plastic – there are enough and more options when it comes to buying the perfect walking stick.

But have you come across a walking stick that lets you charge your phone?

Or one that has a torch?

Or one with a braking system?

A 17-year-old boy from Jewar, Greater Noida, has innovated a self-power generating stick that has all of these!

Akash Singh, a student of Government Polytechnic College in Manesar, Gurgaon, came up with the idea almost a year back after watching his grandfather use one during his morning walks.

“My septuagenarian grandfather always carries a walking stick with him for his morning walks. I realised that though the stick offered support, it ended up tiring him and often proved heavy to lift. That’s when I thought of a walking stick that could enable easier mobility and be lightweight at the same time,” he says.

Equipped with a wheel that has a power-braking system, the device has an internal power generating mechanism that lets one charge their mobile phone and is equipped with an alarm along with a torch and compass.

“Though the idea had been hovering in my head for almost a year, it took me a while to formalise the concept and turn it into a working model. Spending almost an equal measure of time for developing the mechanical and electrical aspects, it took me around four months to develop the walking stick,” Akash tells us.

Clubbing together three electrical circuits and a dynamo that enables the braking system, the young man’s device is a wonder in itself.

“The wheel in the stick will not only help the elderly but also those who have physical disabilities. The horn/alarm in it can help alert or call someone during an emergency, while its lightness will pave way for easier mobility,” he explains.

Akash attributes his college professor Zakir Hussain for providing unfaltering support and motivation throughout the period. One of his classmates, Sachin Attri, had also been of great help for making the project materialise.

The self-power generating stick isn’t the only apparatus that Akash has created. In fact, this is his second innovation.

Previously, he had innovated a machine that could produce energy using wind last year. His innovative idea found praise from the Prime Minister’s Office and was forwarded to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for testing.

You may also like: From Multi-Purpose Crutches to Bullet Tractors: 8 Brilliant Innovations by Indians You Must Know

Following the successful completion of the walking stick, Akash was invited to Harayana’s Golden Jubilee celebration by the ministry to display his innovation in April this year, where he received a lot of appreciation for his idea.

But how much does the stick cost?

“The entire cost of assembling the apparatus came up to ₹1500. This way, people not only benefit from the device for its functionalities but also benefit economically,” Akash adds.

You can get in touch with Akash at akashsingh7842@gmail.com.

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It was delightful news for Anilraj Kumar, the girls’ hockey coach at Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA), to hear that M. Bhavani, one of his protégés from the ASA had cleared the National Hockey Academy selection trials held during June 2017 in New Delhi. Finally, years of training and continuous hard work had paid-off for M. Bhavani, the 16-year-old who went against all odds to secure her position in the National Hockey Academy, a joint initiative by Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Ministry of Sport (MoS).

Bhavani’s first encounter with hockey occurred when she was studying in the sixth standard. She accompanied her elder brother to a nearby community playground in her hometown, Yelamanchili, which is situated 48 km away from Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. She was amazed to see the maneuvering of stick and ball and wondered how difficult it must be to do the same. Seeing Bhavani looking curiously from the sidelines, her friends playing in the same field invited her to join them in their hockey sessions. From the very next day, she started accompanying her brother and friends to play hockey in that community ground.

Observing her keen interest in hockey, the coaches handling the hockey sessions in the community ground spoke to her parents and informed them about the potential employment opportunities for Bhavani in the future through playing hockey. Though hesitant in the beginning, primarily fretting if their daily wage earnings could be sufficient to support her and to lead the family, Bhavani’s parents later agreed to send her to a sports school to let her continue playing hockey.

Her interest and her parent’s decision led Bhavani to join a Government sports school in Karimnagar district, nearly 530 km away from her town. To her dismay, the sports school opted to not include hockey during that year and she was pushed to pursue athletics instead. But in 2014, upon participating in selections trials in Anantapur held by ASA for children coming from underprivileged sections from different regions of Andhra Pradesh, she got selected into the Anantapur Sports Academy, a selection that changed her fortunes. Since then she has not looked back.

“I will always be grateful to ASA for the continuous educational and nutritional support and the coaches and people who supported me throughout this journey”, says M. Bhavani who is among the 26 girls who got selected to be a part of the National Hockey Academy.

Bhavani is now a role model for other girls in ASA and around the region. After her selection into ASA Hockey program in 2014, Bhavani secured a scholarship to continue her education. Despite hockey being the primary focus, Bhavani has equally excelled in academics which saw her securing Grade A2 in her 10^th Standard Public Exams in 2017. Coming from underprivileged region to excel in both sports and academics and getting selected into the National Hockey Academy is a tremendous story of triumph of hard work over fate.

“After coming to the Academy, Bhavani excelled in her studies as well as continued her passion for playing hockey. She would regularly train for six hours and in her three years in ASA she has never missed a single training session”, says Anilraj Kumar, Bhavani’s coach at ASA who is quite optimistic that Bhavani would play at further higher levels.

Bhavani considers Ritu Rani, the former captain of the Indian Hockey team and Rajani Etimarapu, the current Indian Women’s team goalkeeper, who comes from Andhra Pradesh, as her role models. She says it wouldn’t have been possible without constant exposure to hockey camps by coaches from ‘Stick for India’ and ‘One Million Hockey Legs’, partners of the ASA Hockey program. She also thanks her co-players and friends back home who want her to reach even greater heights.

Sport has played an important role in Bhavani’s life. She still remembers the day she started playing hockey, her parents had advised “to study well and play harder” and that’s exactly what she did. Playing hockey has given her opportunities and direction in life. Success stories like that of M. Bhavani will go a long way in inspiring children, particular girls in believing in their dreams.

 You can contribute to the lives of several children playing hard here! 

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As many as 232 million young people in India between the ages of 15 and 24 are in the process of discovering their sexuality – in the shadow of tremendous stigma.

In 2015, FSG spoke to 500 of these young men and women in Mumbai and Jaipur to assess their unfulfilled reproductive and sexual health needs, and identify potential solutions.

Our research, which was supported by the Packard Foundation, confirmed that many prevailing misconceptions, beliefs, and attitudes regarding sex and sexuality among young people are similar to what one may find among older generations.

The good news is that a solution may lie in an unexpected place – the smartphones and tablets these young men and women carry. India’s rapidly growing internet user base (currently 433 million) may well hold the key to a healthier, more aware, and more empowered generation.

Playing taboo…and losing

Improved reproductive health outcomes are a shot in the dark for many young people, with no access to credible information or quality products. Three factors play a key role in the experiences that the young in urban India have with respect to their reproductive health – their gender, marital status, and the type of city they live in.

Improved reproductive health outcomes are a shot in the dark for many young people.

1. Strongly gendered experiences lead to different outcomes

Young women in particular are limited in exercising agency, and face significantly higher levels of stigma in trying to access better information, products, or services. “Everyone other than my friends will perceive me as immoral if they find out that I am sexually active,” said an 18-year-old girl in Mumbai.

2. A couple’s marital status significantly affects outcomes

Unmarried couples are not always prepared with condoms at the time of intercourse. They often don’t know where to anonymously and discreetly obtain any products, and fear being judged by providers like pharmacists and doctors.

Young married couples in this age group often do not intend to use any methods to prevent pregnancy, even though they may want to delay having children. “The local USHA worker did tell me about delaying our second child, but I feel very uncomfortable having this discussion in front of my mother-in-law,” says a 19-year-old housewife in Jaipur.

3. The advantages of living in a more cosmopolitan environment

Young people in Mumbai had better access to information and services compared to those in Jaipur. They also have higher financial agency and mobility, leading to greater awareness and a stronger voice in the use of contraceptives.

A lack of awareness, and high stigma around obtaining basic information, quality services, and products, drives much of these sub-par outcomes.

There is a need to foster greater awareness of the risks of unprotected intercourse. Credible sources of information must also discuss correct usage of reproductive health products, and the right avenues to seek treatment.

Hitting the “share” and “like” buttons

The solution may lie in India’s rapidly expanding internet user base, which will likely reach 636 million by 2021.

Our research indicates that urban youth access information in new ways, particularly on the internet, and often through personal devices. As many as 77 % of male respondents and 54 % of female respondents use the internet. 59 % of them access it on a personal device, such as a mobile phone or tablet.

Urban youth are accessing information in new ways, particularly on the internet, and often through personal devices.

“My girlfriend worried that she was pregnant, and didn’t know how to buy or use a pregnancy kit. We used Google on my phone to figure it out,” said a 19-year-old in Jaipur.

Credible and interactive platforms can leverage this tendency to find information online to address the information gaps in reproductive health. The following characteristics of internet-centric channels work particularly well when it comes to building awareness:

• Anonymity

Platforms such as Menstrupedia don’t require their users to disclose identifies, providing a safe space to ask otherwise uncomfortable questions.

Providing a forum for people to post anonymous questions reduces the stigma a young person seeking information might otherwise face. The answers may even benefit many others with the same query on their minds.

• Engaging and shareable content

Providing information through youth-oriented multimedia content, primarily through online channels, is an especially engaging way of connecting with this segment. They are more receptive to multimedia content like videos and comics, and will likely share such content with their peers.

Much of the content on Agents of Ishq, a multi-media project about “sex, love, and desire”, consists of images, videos, and podcasts in Hindi and English, sprinkled liberally with humour to make it appealing for this generation.

• Wide and cost-effective dissemination

Credible online content leverages the growing use of internet-enabled mobile devices, particularly among young men. These channels also enable wide dissemination to large populations of youth at no additional cost.

With 58,000 subscribers on YouTube, and 70 % of their views coming from mobile devices, mDhil’s educational videos about health in multiple languages, including reproductive and sexual health, have been successful in garnering eyeballs. Their video on sex and STIs in Hindi has received more than 1.2 million views on YouTube.

These models have clearly had some success initially, skipping the traditional community or PHC-driven models. Thus, the government, funders, non-profits, and social enterprises’ funders must look to the internet and social media. These channels can help improve knowledge and behaviour on these important topics.

Adapted from an article originally published on the India Development Review website. Like what you read? Learn more about what’s happening in development in India. Have an idea? Tell us what you want to read.

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“What do you want to be when you grow up?” The most consistent question we tend to hear since our childhood. Making the right career choice is as important as choosing a life partner. In the line of careers and education, you end up marrying the subject for the rest of your life, and it continues to impact your career choices and job openings. Thus, it is best to select a profession that is determined by your passion.

It is a common occurrence, when most of us feel stuck in careers like round pins in square holes. The moment you feel torn between your profession and passion, it’s probably the right time to do some thinking. Arjun Puri sets an example for all those who want to walk on the path of passion. His life story and career path are a perfect balance between success and satisfaction. Tanvi Kamdar of UnivAssist speaks to Arjun and finds out how he made such a massive shift in terms of careers, and what is it that keeps him going.

Born and raised in Kolkata, Arjun’s lineage is an amalgamation of literary and cinematic flair. His great-grandfather is Manish Ghatak, the renowned Bengali poet and novelist, his great-uncle Ritwik Ghatak, the Padma Shri-winning filmmaker. Mahashweta Devi, awardee of the Padma Vibhushan, is a great-aunt, his mother is Ina Puri (writer and two-time National Award-winning filmmaker), and his father Ravi Puri gained over 30 years of experience at ITC. It was Arjun’s parents who encouraged him to pursue his passion. Needless to mention, Arjun’s inclination towards arts and literature was no surprise at all.

From School till College                                                             

Arjun’s career journey began like any other regular Indian student. He completed his schooling from one of the oldest schools of India, La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata, also known as “the Eton of the East”. Arjun was the 167^th School Captain of La Martiniere, an achievement he still holds close.

Reminiscing about his school days, Arjun recollects, “Education at La Martiniere wasn’t limited to the classroom, it was always 360-degree. It was conversations in corridors, activities after school, values passed down from batch to batch. I still recall Tuesdays were spent at a school that worked with children with special needs, on Thursdays we were at Little Sisters of the Poor, and on Sundays we were encouraged to visit free health clinics to distribute medicine. I doubt any of this was mentioned in our report cards, but it taught us to be loving, caring, and good human beings.”

Post his schooling, Arjun went ahead and pursued a degree in International Business from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. While these major career choices were made taking into consideration the popularity of the programme and certain other factors, Arjun feels there were missing links in the entire story. His innate desire was to study English or History, and he wished he had made that choice early on and was given the opportunity to explore and experiment.

The Corporate Grind

An ardent Arsenal fan, Arjun later landed in London, where he started his career as a banker with Merrill Lynch. Going through this corporate grind, the storyteller within him started to feel shelved. More than banking, his focus shifted on the stories around him.

He says, “Investment banking was an interesting aspect where I learned a lot about how other people studied different things and chose careers not relevant to what they studied. The person who sat next to me at Merrill Lynch studied Religion and his degree was in Theology, and the person on the other side was a Literature student. Clearly opposed to the Indian perception of education where, if you want to do banking or consulting, you have to study Economics or B.Com. This difference in approach with regards to careers, made me question the importance of the information passed to students and parents about what they should study. It’s conversations all around us that encourage us to pursue safe/lucrative careers and not what we’re genuinely passionate about.”

It was at this point that he decided to take a plunge and do what he felt passionate about. Though the thought of moving back had occurred to him earlier, it wasn’t a very serious one until then. After spending four years in London, it had become a home away from home. But like many others, Arjun was not looking forward to acquiring citizenship.

He was proud of owning an Indian passport, and never thought of giving it up.

Remembering the exact moment when he decided to move back to India, he explains, “It was on the way to work, and I sat in a carriage on the Tube. The Central Line (Red) to St. Paul’s. That morning, I kept sitting in the carriage, way past my stop. As dramatic as it may sound, I chose not to get down. I looked around, and like every single morning for over four years, I saw the same group of people, dressed in suits and clutching their copies of the Financial Times. I knew I didn’t fit and had overstayed my time in my favorite city, London.”

“An ordinary life has never been my objective. I wouldn’t have ever done anything worthwhile in my life had I stayed on in London. I’d have just been another suit on the Tube. I knew the greater good lay in moving back and doing something I’d be remembered for. That was that. I put in my papers the very next week after speaking to my ever-supportive parents, who have understood me and my decisions all my life. Best decision of my life. From central London to villages spread across India.”

London to Bihar

Arjun moved back to India in the fall of 2011 and joined ITC’s rural development and farmer empowerment programme, E-Choupal. Moving from London to a small village that didn’t have running electricity was not very easy for him. What kept him going was the mantra, “I had chosen to undertake this journey and I will see it through.” As the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, Arjun started enjoying his work. Meeting more people led to many colorful conversations and stories.

These stories gave birth to his blog named “chaiwallah”. He says, “I always loved writing, and here I was, traveling across villages, working on issues that required everyday attention, and writing at the same time. Now when I look back, I don’t think I would be the person I am if it weren’t for those 12-14 months!”

Post his stint with E-Choupal, he decided to give back to society. His next career stop took him back to the education and career counseling sector.

He chose this field consciously and enjoyed advising students and making an impact early for these young lives.

Presently, Arjun works as the Head of Admissions and Outreach for the O. P. Jindal Global University and he’s also a member of the faculty at the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities. His aim is to share his personal experience and guide students in the right direction. He believes that holistic education is the need of the hour.

Explaining this further he says, “An education must not just be a piece of paper – a degree – the means to find a job! It is so much more. To be compassionate and to be able to make a difference in the world that you call your own is what will drive us forward, not just as Indians, but as human beings.”

Arjun also makes it a point to share this valuable knowledge at various conferences, student meetings, and other education summits. His next speaking engagement will be at the IC3 Conference in August 2017. This conference brings together school leaders, college counselors, teachers, and university representatives to drive transformative counseling and admissions practices in the higher education community. To register, please click here.

Apart from education and career counseling, Arjun takes his food seriously, and updates his Instagram “the_foodwallah” on a regular basis. The journey across the world – with food, travel, and education – is its focus. You could follow him there if you’re hungry or curious!

For more information and assistance about North American universities, visit the KIC UnivAssist website.

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The magical number: 25! An age when you actually feel like a mature and responsible adult. When you can even pay for all the parties your friends try to get out of you on your birthday.
Unfortunately, it’s also the time when you sit back and question all your life choices. The fact that all your peers seem to be racing ahead doesn’t help either. So a normal pondering turns into a full blown panic attack stretching into a bout of stress and anxiety.

You find that you’re not where you had hoped to be by now.

You also find that you’ve no clue where you want to be or what you want to do with no idea regarding what’s best for you. Worst of all, you have no clue as to what you’re even currently doing.

From then on, it’s just a downward spiral into depression.
I was surprised to find that there’s actually a term for this. The quarter-life crisis.
Thus to help kindred souls, I’ve compiled a list of life hacks that are aimed at getting you through this tough period and keeping your thoughts in perspective. I hope it helps.

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Here it goes:

1. A Person

For all you Grey’s Anatomy fans, there’s no need to describe what having ‘a person’ or ‘your person’ means. For those oblivious to Shondaland, your person is that first human you turn to in all your times of need. When you’re happy, when you’re sad, when you’ve majorly messed up, when you need to be saved. There’s this one person who will take one look at you and know what’s up.It can be a friend, a family-member or even a colleague. Identify who that person is for you, then put in an effort to divulge your worst fears.

Talk to him or her about your life plans. Just discuss.

It’ll not only make you feel lighter but it will also give you much needed respite once you get it all out of your system. Even the best of us have the tendency to bottle things up when it comes to our careers, dreams or aspirations and never reveal our worries to the closest people.

2. Comfy PJ’s

Anxiety and stress can make you lose sleep. Especially when nearing this age, your mind refuses to rest. Find a pair of comfortable pyjamas in which you can get a nice spell of sleep. Let it be a reminder of the fact that even if you don’t have anything sorted, it’s okay. You’re not supposed to. As long as you’re doing something, as long as you have a rough idea of what you like. Or, most importantly, you have a fair idea of what you don’t like and would much rather not be doing, you’re on the right track.

Life can be figured out tomorrow but not when you’re functioning only on a caffeine induced high.

3. A Pair of Blinders

You know how horses and some more animals are outfitted with a pair of eye-patches that give them tunnel vision? So that they don’t look right or left but move on straight ahead? Get a metaphorical pair of those for yourself. Don’t look at what others are doing. Don’t judge yourself by their standards. Don’t assess your progress by the pace they’re proceeding at. Do what you’re doing, diligently. Do not be affected by peers. One can never actually walk in another’s shoes. Our own are prickly enough. Stick to those. You never know what another is going through. But you sure can make your own life better by concentrating only on it because these mountains that you’re carrying, you were only supposed to climb.

4. A Full-Length Mirror

If you have a Full-Length Mirror at home, well and good. If not, I suggest you invest in one. Take out five minutes daily to look at yourself. Just take a good look at yourself. Take in all your battle scars, take in the glimmer of hope in your eyes, take in the look of determination in the set of your jaw. Take it all in and then breathe out. Deep. Look at yourself, accept yourself and then, maybe, love yourself. Give yourself a small pep talk everyday. You know you’re doing the best you can. Make sure you tell yourself that. If you really think you’re doing something you should or that you’re not doing enough, tell yourself that too.

But what you shouldn’t do is undermine yourself.

We’re already our own worst critics. Let’s not let that intimidate our faith in ourselves. So, look at yourself and let your confidence grow. Remember, you’re the only person who can set the roadmap and tracks on which your life will follow through.

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5. One Day of the Week

Set aside one day of the week to pamper yourself. Not the weekend but a work day. By pampering, I don’t mean our weekendly ritual of grooming. This is about pampering your confidence. Step out on that day with your best foot forward. Wake up early. Get dressed impeccably. Your best formals. Put on makeup or your best cologne or aftershave. Look your best. Have a healthy breakfast. I know it’s difficult to put in so much effort everyday when we’re trying​ to catch up on lost sleep or scrambling to get to work on time. Hence, reserve this extravaganza for any one day of the week, without fail. It’s true when you like how you look, when you have a good, satisfying start to the day, it does wonders for your confidence. I know distinctly how just even adorning a pair of high heels adds oodles to my self esteem since I’m short and heels also give me an amazing posture. So I seem so much more confident to my own self. Do that for yourself. You know you deserve it. One day of the week, let it be your day.

We all have places to go, we’ll get there when we’re ready. Let your arrival make its mark, slowly but surely!

Read the original post on the blog “Life’s Fine W(h)ine“

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For many who aspire to reach great heights, the road is long and uphill. Only, a few of those find ways to engage in little acts of kindness, despite odds.

This is the story of Karuppusamy, a local hero from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, who gives free rides to schoolchildren and pregnant women in his autorickshaw.

Most might say, what is so different about this story?

Here’s what sets Karuppusamy apart.

Karuppusamy is no ordinary autorickshaw driver. At 25, he has a post-graduate degree in Tamil literature.

Hailing from a poor family, he struggled his way to complete his education and gained his postgraduate degree with a government scholarship.

His aims to complete his MPhil in Tamil Literature. In order to fund his dreams, he turned to riding an auto-rickshaw.

Read more: How an Electric Rickshaw Driver Helped His Daughter in Her Fight to Make Cities Safer for Women

The rickshaw he currently drives was bought with the help of his friends and family. Despite having to save every penny to make ends meet for his MPhil programme and books, it doesn’t deter him from giving free rides to kids and mothers-to-be.

If you are visiting Coimbatore and decide to halt a rickshaw, be sure to spot this local hero and literary genius, who is not only helping others but also sharing the treasure of one of the world’s oldest language, with each of his customers!

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An engineering dropout, a poet, a composer, a hitchhiker, a polyglot who speaks five languages but first and foremost an Inspiring Wanderer.

Most might ask, what is so inspiring about travelling? Thousands do, right? But Vimal Kumar stands out. A year ago, on July 1, 2016, he started a unique journey — travelling across India without spending a single rupee!

Travelling over 11 states for nine months, hitchhiking more than 20,000km, taking trucks, mini vans, motorcycles, cars, buses, trains, a flight (once) — he has done it all.

“Life is a journey full of learnings and travel is the best teacher, is something I truly believe in. When I was in college, I used to give motivational talks to people about following their dreams and passion and why it was important to live the life they always wanted to live. These always ended up in too many questions: How to go about it? Is it even feasible?”

Vimal wanted to be a standing example of what he preached. So he chose to travel.

Coming from a middle class family, having no financial support, he embarked on the journey. A native of Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Vimal’s family is his single working mother and a sister. He studied in a government college in a small town. “So if I can do this, everybody else can!” he says.

Read more: This 7-Year-Old Travelled From US to India to Plant 750 Trees & Spread an Inspiring Message!

His decision wasn’t supported by many, but that didn’t deter him.

“I was always a weird kid. I started taking tuitions when I was in Class 10. I dropped out of my final year, I began a startup. I used to write, compose music, script short films. My mom knew I will survive anyhow. So she supported my decision on one condition — that I would keep in touch. On the other hand, my relatives never understood. They’d tell me, ‘You have gone crazy! Why don’t you take you a regular job?’ The views have certainly changed now, they are looking at me in a new light.”

When he grabbed his bag and dashed to the highway, many said, ‘He’ll come back in a few days.’”

The journey had Vimal hitchhike, couch-surf, sleep at stations, camp at places, recite stories, sing — anything and everything it took to get some food to eat, get a ride, a place to sleep and most importantly stories to tell on his journey.

The initial plan was to travel for a year and a half, but because his family shifted base to Bengaluru, he came back after nine months.

When you are on the road, all by yourself, every step is full of learnings. While someone taught him farming, another took him snorkeling, someone taught him photography, another one, blogging!

Vimal has travelled over 11 states, covering all the six states of South India, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Assam, Nagaland and West Bengal.

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He recollects a hitchhiking trip to Lambasingi, a small village in the Chintapalli Mandal of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, popularly referred to as the Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh.He was hungry and it was 3pm. And Vimal made it a principle that he would never ask people for anything. It had to come to him.

“My body was giving up. I decided to cross the road to get to the sitting area of a small closed shop opposite the road. Two guys on a bike stopped me and enquired. I told them I was a traveller on my way to Lambasingi. They asked me if I had food, I negated it. They asked me how would I manage. I said I’ll figure out. They had two packets of rusks (dry bread), they gave me one and just left. I don’t remember their names or faces. I ate the bread, drank water from the pump and moved on. But I’ll ever be thankful.”

His stories are full of random acts of kindness by complete strangers including a businessman who gave him a ride and invited him to stay in a star-hotel in Kozhikode.

In Munnar, he met a man on the bus, who took him home to a small hut. The entire family of four slept on the floor and gave up their single bed for Vimal. “The fish curry his mum cooked is the best I have tasted in my entire life,” shares Vimal.

When Vimal left, he had two sets of clothes, a sleeping bag and a tent. He was carrying a Mac, camera, smartphone and a first aid kit. But when he returned, he had everything plus an additional bag!

“A German guy gave me an Iphone for free when my phone was dead stating I needed it a lot more than he did. I had one extra bag of things when I came back, even that bag was gifted to me.”

While in college, Vimal began a startup called Smaya, to bring people closer to each other in the real world, which eventually shut down when he decided to travel. “Say if two people were sitting together in a restaurant and busy on their phones. It would send them a notification saying, ‘Hey! Your friend is right in front of you. How about you close your smartphone and connect to them instead?’”

Road ahead

Future is an illusion. There is just journey, but no destination for Vimal, he says.

“I am currently in a phase of giving back. The first phase is me inviting travellers who pass by my town and city to enjoy my hospitality in my home.

The second phase will include starting a social enterprise to make a broader impact on society. This won’t be restricted to just the travel space. For e.g. when I was in Kolkata, I went to Sonagachi, which is South Asia’s largest red light area. I have seen the condition and struggles of commercial sex workers. And there are so many stories that have impacted me, I want to be able to effect change through them.”

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Approximately half of India’s 1.2 billion people are under the age of 26, and by 2020 we are forecast to be the youngest country in the world, with a median age of 29 years. With this tremendous forecast, it becomes imperative to ensure an environment which promotes positive well-being. Unfortunately, India has the highest suicide rate in the world among the youth standing at 35.5 per 100,000 people for 2012, the last year for which numbers are available.

The reason for such high numbers can be attributed to lack of economic, social, and emotional resources. More specifically, academic pressure, workplace stress, social pressures, modernisation of urban centers, relationship concerns, and the breakdown of support systems. Some researchers have attributed the rise of youth suicide to urbanisation and the breakdown of the traditional large family support system. The clash of values within families is an important factor for young people in their lives. As young Indians become more progressive, their traditionalist households become less supportive of their choices pertaining to financial independence, marriage age, premarital sex, rehabilitation and taking care of the elderly.

Emile Durkheim (1966) described suicide as one of the crudest expressions of social phenomenon. Suicide, or the act of deliberately ending one’s own life, is a public health concern and a growing one among the younger age bracket. There are several risk factors that come into play that may be responsible for a suicidal attempt or completion of suicide. Some of those many factors include-

• being diagnosed with a mental health disorder such as depression or schizophrenia
• previous suicide attempts
• substance abuse
• burden of financial crisis
• family history of suicide
• poor job security or low levels of job satisfaction
• history of being abused or witnessing continuous abuse
• being diagnosed with a serious medical condition, such as cancer or HIV
• being socially discriminated or ostracised
• being exposed to suicidal behavior

There is a notable gender difference in the suicidal attempts and completion of suicide. Women are four times more likely than men to attempt suicide (make an attempt but not complete), whereas, men are twice more likely than women to complete the act of suicide. India is quoted to experience the highest rate of suicide among the age bracket of 15-29 years.

This leaves an impact on the development and well-being of individuals, societies and nations. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2015 quoted that every hour one student commits suicide in India. Parents and schools cannot prepare children mentally and psychologically for the many triggers in the world. Hence it is imperative that as a society we work to promote a positive environment. It is vital that organisations and governments receive support to promote mental health education and promote coping skills in youth.

Suicide is preventable.

The striking numbers around youth suicide are shameful!
There is about 1 suicide occurring every 40 seconds across the globe. Together, we must all stand up, speak up, and advocate for better policies and implementation of resources for mental health. We must view suicide as a condition needing treatment, not as a punishment. A multi-pronged approach must be taken to decrease the world’s suicide rate. Mental health education and resources for dealing with symptoms of mental health should be taught and promoted from an early age. Doing so will provide an avenue for the maintenance of dignity and help-seeking behavior.

If you know someone who is feeling suicidal or is emotionally distressed, tell them that you care for them. Being an active listener and being aware of signs of distress can help you to be there and make the person realise that you will help them and that they deserve to be helped. Being empathetic helps the person feel understood and heard. It is important to realise that feeling suicidal is not the nature of the person but a mere state of mind. People feel suicidal because they feel nothing else will work out and their death will solve the problem. Suicidal thoughts are often linked with a mental disorder and can be treated well. These are some ways we can help.

In India, suicide is more of a social and public health objective than a traditional exercise in the mental health sector. Mental health professionals, doctors and counselors can be reached out to manage suicidal tendencies. The proactive steps taken by several such professionals in the capacity of leaders has helped and has the potential to help save thousands of lives. There are several organisations, crisis centers and suicide prevention helplines that are offering a great support to the emotionally distressed and those individuals who feel suicidal. Some of the helplines that may be approached in times of need are:

• The Samaritans Mumbai– 022 6464 3267, 022 6565 3267, 022 6565 3247

Email: samaritans.helpline@gmail.com

Address – 402, Jasmine Apartments
Opposite Kala Kendra, Dadasaheb Phalke Road
Dadar (E) 400014
Mumbai

• MINDS Gujarat– +919033837227; info@mindsfoundation.org, BHavnagar and Vadodara, Gujarat
• Sikkim– 221152, Police Control Room, Gangtok
• iCall– +91 22 2556 3291, e-mail – icall@tiss.edu, Mumbai
• Thanal– 0495 237 1100

E-mail – thanal.calicut@gmail.com

Address – Iqra Hospital
Malamparamba, Calicut 673009
Kerala

• Prathyasa– +91-480 – 2820091

Address – Vidya Jothi
Cathedral Junction
Irinjalakuda 680 685

• Pratheeksha– +91 484 2448830

E-mail – rajiravi2000@hotmail.com

Address – Near Ambedkar Park
Peruvaram Road
North Paravur 683 513
Kerala

• Saath– 079 2630 5544, 079 2630 0222

Address – B12 Nilamber Complex
H.L. Commerce College Road
Navrangpura
Ahmedabad 380 006

• Roshni– 040 790 4646

E-mail – help@roshnihyd.org

Address – 1-8-303/48/21 Kalavathy Nivas
Sindhi Colony
S.P. Road
Secunderabad 500003

• Lifeline Foundation– +91 33 24637401, +91 33 24637432

Address – 17/1A Alipore Road
Sarat Bose Road 700 027
Kolkata

• Sumaitri– 011-23389090

E-mail- feelingsuicidal@sumaitri.net

Address – Sumaitri
Aradhana Hostel Complex
No. 1 Bhagwan Das Lane
Bhagwan Das Road
New Delhi

• Maithri– 91- 484 – 2540530

E-mail – maithrihelp@gmail.com

Address – ICTA Shantigram
Changampuzha Nagar (P.O.)
Kalamassery
Kochi 682 033

• Connecting India– 9922001122, 18002094353

Website – connectingngo.org

Address – Connecting Trust
Dastur Girls School
Moledina Road
Pune 411001

• Nagpur Suicide Prevention Helpline – 8888817666
• Sneha– 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060

E-mail – help@snehaindia.org

Address – #11, Park View Road
R.A. Puram
Chennai 600028

• Maitreyi– +91-413-339999

Address – 255 Thyagumudali Street
605001
Pondicherry

Will you join us in promoting mental health to end the stigma and decrease the suicide rate in India?

Written by Pragya Lodha, Associate Programme Developer, The MINDS Foundation and Raghu K Appasani, Founder and CEO, The MINDS Foundation

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“What do you want to be?”

Throughout my childhood and early youth, I had no definitive answer to that question. I remember feeling nervous each time it was asked. ‘Pilot’ was my first reply and the second, less interesting option—‘IAS officer’.

I didn’t end up becoming either of those and now work with The YP Foundation, an organisation that runs youth leadership programmes to advance the rights of young women and girls, and other marginalised young people.

The young are important now.

The demographic dividend has brought young people into focus more quickly and sharply in the last five years, than any work done by youth-led and -focused organisations.

The YP Foundation therefore has often found itself in consultations, donor meetings, trainings and other platforms for youth organisations to get together to consult, collaborate or co-learn.

Between vision, mission, elevator pitch and indicator tables, people always want to know our past record and future plans. And so I find myself back in my childhood, speaking to ‘adult’ organisations about what is it that we want to do.

But our voices don’t really count.

The development sector calls on youth organisations to mobilise young people for #MeaningfulYouthParticipation in the #SustainableDevelopmentGoals because #YouthVoicesCount.

There is a seat for youth in each meeting, but little or no room for them to lead the agenda. Political stance taking, critical questioning and pushing for rights based development continues to remain the turf of ‘adult’ organisations.

I was at a meeting on the ‘future of youth’ coordinated by a reputed international agency in 2016. It was interesting to see how the overarching focus of the meeting continued to be on skill development and vocational training even though most young people spoke directly and eloquently on the need to change the education system to create critical and questioning leaders.

With the internalised as well as imposed role of being the repositories of energy, hope and, of course, being seen as leaders of the future–always the future–the switch from #YouthPower to youth politics is not that easy.

“There is a seat for youth in each meeting, but little or no room for them to lead the agenda.”

Asking the questions that matter

At The YP Foundation we realised this when we undertook a strategic planning exercise in 2015. We asked ourselves ‘who we want to be’, instead of what we want to be or are supposed to be.

What are the repercussions of articulating a firm belief in the right of young people to give consent while working on issues of sex, sexuality and violence with children and youth? How does one talk about rights of young women and girls and articulate a stance on sex work without losing sight of the diversity and the commonalities among those sets of people?

Re-examining and affirming our organisational values through questions like these was just the start. It has taken conscious effort to remember them and negotiate organisational sustainability and growth.

..And the implications of answering them

Surviving: Sticking with values in the era of #CSR, #PPP and #scaling is not easy. For young and youth-led organisations, the decision to let go of a big funder who is not bought into the sex work issue, or declining government funding so as to be able to continue critiquing policy is many times also a question of sustenance and survival.

“The grants for youth work are large, but those for young youth organisations, are small and usually short term.”

Negotiating: The grants for youth work are large, but those for young youth organisations, are small and usually short term. For young organisations working with donors, larger nonprofits or influential professionals, there is often little room for negotiation. The dotted line for signing is straight and inflexible; you either sign or don’t.

Young people and organisations have little control over the questions they are asked and so can only hope to do what they are asked to do while being who they want to be.

Risk-taking: The burden of risk is always on youth-led organisations, whether one speaks the language of impact investment or the return per rupee of CSR. The onus of risk however, must be on the larger environment, to invest in youth-led organisations for the long haul.

What India’s young really want.

Embrace their politics and include their voices
In an era where ‘shrinking space’ is an oft repeated phrase, larger organisations and donors cannot shy away from politics or turn away from movements. On the contrary, they must contribute to creating a safer environment for new and youth-led organisations to engage with movements and the politics behind the issues.

“The onus of risk must be on the larger environment, to invest in youth-led organisations for the long haul.”

Forge ‘equal’ partnerships
They must acknowledge and fund the many spaces where young people are already engaging with politics and leading the way, and endeavor to learn and forge meaningful partnerships with them.

This is particularly relevant in the field of sexual and reproductive health and women’s rights in India where young people, and particularly young women have been at the forefront of public movements to claim autonomy over their rights and their bodies.

What the young can do

To the young leaders I would simply say:

• Grab the token seats at the table and make them count.
• Go beyond being thankful for being included.
• Ask the critical questions, speak the uncomfortable truth.
• Don’t stop at the fuzzy warm feeling of bringing ‘the target audience/community members’ to the table as a showcase.
• Place your identity and politics beyond the amorphous categorisation of ‘youth’ upfront.

Finally, if large, established organisations and funders really care about creating youth leadership for the ‘future’, today is the right time to start giving them that place at the leadership table and start listening—really listening—to their voices.

That is the way this sector can become an enabler for stronger, more politically aware and intersectional youth leadership of social change.

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Walking sticks have been assisting the elderly since time immemorial. From wood to plastic – there are enough and more options when it comes to buying the perfect walking stick.

But have you come across a walking stick that lets you charge your phone?

Or one that has a torch?

Or one with a braking system?

A 17-year-old boy from Jewar, Greater Noida, has innovated a self-power generating stick that has all of these!

Akash Singh, a student of Government Polytechnic College in Manesar, Gurgaon, came up with the idea almost a year back after watching his grandfather use one during his morning walks.

“My septuagenarian grandfather always carries a walking stick with him for his morning walks. I realised that though the stick offered support, it ended up tiring him and often proved heavy to lift. That’s when I thought of a walking stick that could enable easier mobility and be lightweight at the same time,” he says.

Equipped with a wheel that has a power-braking system, the device has an internal power generating mechanism that lets one charge their mobile phone and is equipped with an alarm along with a torch and compass.

“Though the idea had been hovering in my head for almost a year, it took me a while to formalise the concept and turn it into a working model. Spending almost an equal measure of time for developing the mechanical and electrical aspects, it took me around four months to develop the walking stick,” Akash tells us.

Clubbing together three electrical circuits and a dynamo that enables the braking system, the young man’s device is a wonder in itself.

“The wheel in the stick will not only help the elderly but also those who have physical disabilities. The horn/alarm in it can help alert or call someone during an emergency, while its lightness will pave way for easier mobility,” he explains.

Akash attributes his college professor Zakir Hussain for providing unfaltering support and motivation throughout the period. One of his classmates, Sachin Attri, had also been of great help for making the project materialise.

The self-power generating stick isn’t the only apparatus that Akash has created. In fact, this is his second innovation.

Previously, he had innovated a machine that could produce energy using wind last year. His innovative idea found praise from the Prime Minister’s Office and was forwarded to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for testing.

You may also like: From Multi-Purpose Crutches to Bullet Tractors: 8 Brilliant Innovations by Indians You Must Know

Following the successful completion of the walking stick, Akash was invited to Harayana’s Golden Jubilee celebration by the ministry to display his innovation in April this year, where he received a lot of appreciation for his idea.

But how much does the stick cost?

“The entire cost of assembling the apparatus came up to ₹1500. This way, people not only benefit from the device for its functionalities but also benefit economically,” Akash adds.

You can get in touch with Akash at akashsingh7842@gmail.com.

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It was delightful news for Anilraj Kumar, the girls’ hockey coach at Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA), to hear that M. Bhavani, one of his protégés from the ASA had cleared the National Hockey Academy selection trials held during June 2017 in New Delhi. Finally, years of training and continuous hard work had paid-off for M. Bhavani, the 16-year-old who went against all odds to secure her position in the National Hockey Academy, a joint initiative by Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Ministry of Sport (MoS).

Bhavani’s first encounter with hockey occurred when she was studying in the sixth standard. She accompanied her elder brother to a nearby community playground in her hometown, Yelamanchili, which is situated 48 km away from Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. She was amazed to see the maneuvering of stick and ball and wondered how difficult it must be to do the same. Seeing Bhavani looking curiously from the sidelines, her friends playing in the same field invited her to join them in their hockey sessions. From the very next day, she started accompanying her brother and friends to play hockey in that community ground.

Observing her keen interest in hockey, the coaches handling the hockey sessions in the community ground spoke to her parents and informed them about the potential employment opportunities for Bhavani in the future through playing hockey. Though hesitant in the beginning, primarily fretting if their daily wage earnings could be sufficient to support her and to lead the family, Bhavani’s parents later agreed to send her to a sports school to let her continue playing hockey.

Her interest and her parent’s decision led Bhavani to join a Government sports school in Karimnagar district, nearly 530 km away from her town. To her dismay, the sports school opted to not include hockey during that year and she was pushed to pursue athletics instead. But in 2014, upon participating in selections trials in Anantapur held by ASA for children coming from underprivileged sections from different regions of Andhra Pradesh, she got selected into the Anantapur Sports Academy, a selection that changed her fortunes. Since then she has not looked back.

“I will always be grateful to ASA for the continuous educational and nutritional support and the coaches and people who supported me throughout this journey”, says M. Bhavani who is among the 26 girls who got selected to be a part of the National Hockey Academy.

Bhavani is now a role model for other girls in ASA and around the region. After her selection into ASA Hockey program in 2014, Bhavani secured a scholarship to continue her education. Despite hockey being the primary focus, Bhavani has equally excelled in academics which saw her securing Grade A2 in her 10^th Standard Public Exams in 2017. Coming from underprivileged region to excel in both sports and academics and getting selected into the National Hockey Academy is a tremendous story of triumph of hard work over fate.

“After coming to the Academy, Bhavani excelled in her studies as well as continued her passion for playing hockey. She would regularly train for six hours and in her three years in ASA she has never missed a single training session”, says Anilraj Kumar, Bhavani’s coach at ASA who is quite optimistic that Bhavani would play at further higher levels.

Bhavani considers Ritu Rani, the former captain of the Indian Hockey team and Rajani Etimarapu, the current Indian Women’s team goalkeeper, who comes from Andhra Pradesh, as her role models. She says it wouldn’t have been possible without constant exposure to hockey camps by coaches from ‘Stick for India’ and ‘One Million Hockey Legs’, partners of the ASA Hockey program. She also thanks her co-players and friends back home who want her to reach even greater heights.

Sport has played an important role in Bhavani’s life. She still remembers the day she started playing hockey, her parents had advised “to study well and play harder” and that’s exactly what she did. Playing hockey has given her opportunities and direction in life. Success stories like that of M. Bhavani will go a long way in inspiring children, particular girls in believing in their dreams.

 You can contribute to the lives of several children playing hard here! 

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I went to see the doctor for my annual medication refill for my colostomy bag. I have had an imperforate anus since I was born, which resulted in having a permanent colostomy bag.

Imperforate anus is a defect that is present at the time of birth (congenital). The opening to the anus is missing or blocked. The anus is the opening to the rectum through which stools leave the body. It usually requires immediate surgery to open a passage for feces unless a fistula can be relied on until corrective surgery takes place. Depending on the severity of the imperforate, it is treated either with a perineal anoplasty or with a colostomy.

The doctor asked me, “How long has your neck been so swollen?”. A routine checkup of my neck and lymph node was done, and he felt a tiny lump on my thyroid. He told me that nodules are common and happen with age but recommended I get an ultrasound to be safe. The ultrasound found three suspicious nodules that had to be biopsied, and the results suggested that it was papillary thyroid cancer.

Cancer was the last thing I wanted to hear. So, when I went to seek a second opinion on my diagnosis, I went alone hoping it was a problem with my thyroid.

In February 2015, at the age of 21 years old, I was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer. It was 4cm; the size of a golf ball!

At the time, I knew nothing about thyroid cancer. I knew I had a thyroid, but didn’t really know what it did. We are told to check our skin for moles, or for lumps in our breasts, but no one ever talks about checking your neck. Things moved very quickly from there. Within a few weeks, I had to have my whole thyroid surgically removed. They removed 2 lymph nodes together with the entire thyroid gland. Unfortunately, the involvement of my lymph nodes made the surgery more invasive so for a long time I had a lingering pain.

A few weeks after my surgery, I celebrated my 21st birthday. I remember others complaining about how old they felt, and feeling impatient with them. We should be grateful for every year we are able to celebrate.

Radioactive Iodine and Isolation
most cancers, thyroid cancer patients are treated with radioactive iodine. Patients are usually isolated for five days to ensure that they don’t endanger others with their body’s radioactivity. Shortly after undergoing surgery, I started on radioactive iodine treatment. I was alone in the hospital, which made me feel very afraid and isolated. Eventually, anxiety took over me and I was out of control! Thankfully with the help of family and friends, I managed to pull myself back together.

Friendships Were Tested
It’s funny how life works. Before I was diagnosed, I had many friends! After my diagnosis, I realized who really cared for me. My best friend Jasreen and my sister-in-law were there for me at the time I needed them the most. They would bring me pizza to cheer me up and Jasreen would make me laugh by saying that my voice sounded like a man after surgery!

When You Give, You Get
Having thyroid cancer really changed my life. Being diagnosed with cancer as a young woman is difficult. However, the experience has given me wisdom, maturity and a perspective I would not have if it were not for the cancer. I see life very differently now and try to live each moment to the fullest. I realized I had to change the way I think in order to change my life. I want to be more positive and to give more to others in need. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that when you give, you get.

Life After Cancer
I feel just as lively and energetic as I did before the diagnosis. I’m happy to say that I’m back to working full-time at my job! Woo hoo! I’ve also started to explore my love for photography, traveling and being outdoors. The best part of my day is spending time with my dogs. Whenever I came home from treatment, I’m almost always tired, but they would wait for me and give me an extra boost of energy!

Support Group
I reached out to the National Cancer Society of Malaysia and found out about the Young Survivors Group. Through this group, I have found many new friends and it has helped me feel less alone about going through cancer at a young age.

My Mother, My Caregiver
My mother is a superwoman! I remember breaking the news to her and she was devastated. Despite that, she never gave up on me and is my constant source of motivation to fight cancer.
She came to the hospital every single day to take care of me, even though she has a full-time job and very little sleep.
If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here today and I came this far because of her. She is the strongest and most independent woman I know.

By Lavania Nagarajan

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