Don’t they have the right?

February 28 is celebrated all over India as the National Science Day. The day commemorates the discovery of the well celebrated Raman Effect, which has been named after Sir CV Raman. It was on this day, in 1928 that Sir CV Raman announced the discovery of Raman Effect. For this remarkable discovery, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930. Almost all institutes of scientific interest in India celebrate this day with mammoth importance. So was it in the institute where I work; but with a difference that the celebrations here  were over a few days before.

Many exhibitions were arranged by different scientific departments, which portrayed the developments taking place in the scenario of Indian science. Students were invited for the science fair, from schools nearby. I was assigned the job of a volunteer for one such group. My group consisted of 11 students and their teacher. You might feel that that this shows our concern for the younger generation, to motivate them and bring them up to the realms of science in India. Of course, that is there but what touched my heart wasn’t this.

 I was taking the students of different departments and we were provided vehicles to move since the divisions were distances apart. On the way I could see men and women labourers on the roadsides, near my institute. They were the downtrodden people of society. Their little kids were also sitting beside them. I could see sadness, aspiration to learn, desire to get knowledge in their eyes as they stared at the children, who were with me. They were all fascinated by the neat white uniforms which were things they could only dream of. They might have wished not only for these, but also many things. And we…. why is it that we choose to close our eyes before them?

In India, families below poverty line cannot afford to send their children to schools. But don’t they also have the right to learn? The technological advancements and lifestyle of Indian people have changed quite a lot. But there are still a large number of people who form a major part of the population, but who sufferer in the process. Nobody is there to take care of these people. They have been kept away as a lower section of society and have been utilized for the purpose of vote bank only. If given a chance, they will get educated and will surely turn a mass uprising against the politicians, who loot the country. Hence they are deliberately not allowed to grow.

I remember in this context, the face of a little kid of hardly five years old pulling my dress for a bottle of fruit juice, which I had in my hand while on my way from Mumbai to Kerala, by train. Such a sad state we are in, in this atomic age.  

Child is the father of man. If we don’t care about the poor kids of lower sections of society, we for sure, may be missing an Einstein or a Newton. Being born in poor family never has the meaning that they are not intelligent. . Science and technology are unavoidable but there should be a humanitarian consideration. The motto of equality of opportunity should be maintained.

The government and authorities should take immediate measures to uplift the poor sections and provide them basic education. To communicate science to every section of Indian population is not an easy task. But by providing scientific knowledge to all, irrespective of the economic or social background can surely do wonders!

On this ‘Science Day’, I wish that every Indian citizen received free education at least on a basic level. The corrupted political bigwigs will not think about the poor children of India. Here, the rich get richer. On the other hand poor becomes poorer. The planning and implementation of educational activities are not effective here. Indian scientific community should rethink about this. A national science day should not only be a venue to showcase proud moments of Indian science but also provide equal opportunity. Let the doors of knowledge be open to all.