Even if a 1000-rupee note is crumbled and dirty, the intrinsic value of the note will forever remain the same. If this is the case of a paper note, what should be the value of a life?

This is not about a premiere of a drama or a review of a play that was enacted in a theatre. This is about something that affects you and me, your home and mine. This is a real story that happened in my neighbourhood yesterday.

Young Selvi, a budding youngster of mere 15 years of age, studying in tenth standard in a government run school, committed suicide. She died as a bud without blossoming; without even knowing what her fragrance is. This world missed out completely on the potential that Selvi had in her. She died because she could not handle, could not deal with the humiliation that her teacher did to her.

After the quarter holidays, the school had just reopened on Monday. The results of the quarterly exams were announced. Selvi had done badly in her quarterly exams. The class teacher had scolded her for her bad performance in exams on Tuesday. The teacher had forced her to sit on the floor during classes. This, she could not take, since her classmates teased her and laugh at her

On Friday morning, after two days of event holidays, she refused to go to the school. She explained to her father about what had happened in the school on Tuesday. After listening to her, her father went to the school with her and talked to the school authorities about this incident.. This irritated the teacher even more and she punished her by asking her to sit between male students, which is still considered a taboo in these strata of schools. During the class and after the class some classmates taunted her for sitting with male students. She came home in the evening totally embarrassed.

On Saturday, she was supposed to attend a special class in the school early in the morning. As she did not come out of her room in time for her class, her mother went to hurry her up, only to find her dear child hanging from the ceiling. A bubbling youth is part of ashes today. Whatever be the cause, a life lost is lost. Lost forever.

According to a newspaper survey such incidences are happening everyday in our neighbourhood, in our towns, in our cities, in our world. This need not be the case at all. This is an exploration of solutions that could save precious lives that of Selvi’s.

Why didn’t anybody make Selvi realise that even if a 1000-rupee note is crumbled and dirty, the intrinsic value of the note will forever remain the same? If this is the case of a paper note, what should be the value of a life?

Why didn’t anybody make Selvi understand that failure is only an event and if she just gets her direction of intelligence right, sky isn’t the limit for what she can achieve in life? If winter is here today, will spring be far away?

Why didn’t anybody make her friends understand that harmless jokes are okay among friends, but taunting repeatedly makes the one who is made the scapegoat cry within, in the silent chambers of her heart?

Why didn’t anybody tell the teacher and parent community that any dent in a vessel can be repaired; but a dent in the self-image of a child, especially if punished in the presence of other mates, is hardest to repair? Why didn’t any body tell them that even if the situation warrants punishment, an appreciative comment of at least one good quality of the child, a gentle pat on the shoulders, an understanding and empathetic smile would save the child’s self-image and hence life itself?

Why didn’t anybody tell the parent and teacher society not to measure the capabilities of the precious little ones only by the academic marks? Why didn’t anybody tell them that other measurements are also equally significant like contributions of the child in the playground, on the stage or on the canvas?

Why didn’t anybody tell them that virtues like honesty, empathy, and friendliness, capabilities to work in a team and communication skill are as important to lead a successful life as the academic marks? Have you ever heard of a gym trainer focusing only on the right hand biceps, ignoring the left? Isn’t it true that while academic Subject knowledge and skill sets give one a starting advantage, it is all these life virtues and skills – the Subject Plus factors – that will make the child climb the ladder of success, greater speed?

If only somebody had explained to Selvi and the people in her environment the importance of subjects and going beyond the subjects – the Subject Plus factors – her life would have been saved and made meaningful. May be, if her self-image was intact and if she had not thought so much about what others think about her, she would have been able to cope up with the situation. May be, she would have laughed it out with a supporting loved one.

We have lost Selvi. You Plus I, can work together and ensure we do not lose anyone, anymore.

By Swati Dhingra, from India with love, askMamu.com
Photo Credit: Vivek Chugh, Photographer, India.