Education creates egos.

Yes, I firmly believe that. Of what worth is an education that deters you from doing something mainly because you fear how you will be viewed if you do it? havent you encountered such situations ever?
There are any number of NGOs engaged in spreading 'knowledge' and we all applaud it as the worthiest motive. But of what good is sine, cosine if it robs you of your compassion and gives you a feeling of superiority over others?

When I see a blind man at railway stations, I offer a hand. But sometimes, I feel awkward: will people laugh because I look educated? You rarely find an educated girl/boy offering support to these people. They either trudge on their own or, 9/10, they are bailed out by a poor man. Educated people can't be bothered.

Two days ago, we heard heart-rending wails from the thicket outside my home after midnight. Husband and I took our umbrella and tried to source the sound but couldnt. The sound stopped when we neared it and we could see no dog, pup or any other animal.
So we came back. Around 7 am, we woke up to the same yelping sound. Out we went, and this time, because of better light and some morning walkers, we saw a she-dog (she was too sweet to be called a bitch) stuck in the mouth of a narrow nullah underneath the road. The nullah flowed into the drain perpendicular to it and was presently gurgling out water in torrents fed by the heavy rains.

None of us had the guts to step into the drain --we could see rats scampering in the muck -- and extract her from the dirty nullah. We watched helplessly as she did too, until a good man outside the gate saw us gathered mournfully and walked in. As if to the manner born, he handed over his watch and umbrella to us, rolled up his trousers, and plunged right in. Catching the dog by her mouth with one hand, he squeezed her out of the nullah and on to the road. She had broken her hind legs and limped but as relieved her nightmare was over.
The man worked as a watchman in a building nearby, sported a tilak and was cool about his soiled clothes and feet even as we educated types were relieved that someone else had done the job for us while we worried about health, hygiene and perception. So much for higher learning.

"Kamyabi ke baad jab palat kar dekha, Toh mere kadmo ke nishaan na the, Unki jagah jo dekha to dung reh gaya;

Weh the hathileyon ke nishan, Tab samjha woh sahare hain, Jin par chal kar yahan pahuncha, Mere mata pita ke pawan kar kamal."

What does one say about a guy who writes like this? Abhinav Bindra, who stole a billion hearts on Monday, August 11, 2008, had written this in his home at one point when he was feeling disheartened. A gold in a 10-metre air rifle is just one of the crowns on the head of a son who values his parents. His heart, if you ask me, is firmly in the right place.
Till yesterday, I hadnt heard of him. But after seeing his cutesy face, so innocent, serene and calm, on TV, I have become a huge admirer of this young fellow.
I equally admire his parents who put their lives on hold to nourish their son's dream, to give him everything to excel in his desired vocation in a country which doesnt understand or encourage any kind of sport except cricket.
The couplet tells you about Bindra's profound maturity at such a young age. Indeed, success comes and goes but what stays with you always are the efforts of your parents and people who love you.
As in Beijing, Bindra has hit bull's eye with this one.