"You probably doubt that we were capable of joy, but I assure you we were.
We still had the night sky back then, and like our ancestors, we admired its illuminated doodles...
Absolutely, there were some forests left! Absolutely, we still had some lakes!
I'm saying, it wasn't all lead paint and sulfur dioxide"
-Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years from Now, Matthew Olzmann
SEVEN years ago, a family of three moved to Delhi with two bags in hand, and big dreams in their hearts. Rajesh, who belongs to Bharatpur, Rajasthan, found a job as a cab driver in the capital. His wife Jyoti enrolled their six-year-old son, Anurag, in school. Anurag made new friends. Jyoti joined a women's self-help group in their neighbourhood. The three of them got used to Delhi's rhythm, but what they couldn't handle was the pollution. Anurag developed a chronic cough and breathing problems. Hospital visits became a regular nightmare. Rajesh also had his share of health troubles: chest pain crippled him when the air quality worsened in winter. His eyes would water all the time and customers would ask him why he looked so sad when he ferried them across town. He carried on working, but he couldn't bear to see his son suffer. In two years, an anxious Rajesh convinced Jyoti and Anurag to move back to their hometown. He promised to visit them every month.
Denne historien er fra August 21, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra August 21, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Caste Census: To Conquer Or Conserve?
The caste census is generating heated debate, but even its most ardent proponents are not able to articulate a plan about how to use the resulting data
THE FATEFUL COMEDY
Actor-director Rajat Kapoor talks about adapting Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov into a Hindi play
Mad Hatter
When a leader takes off his topi and holds it in his hands while appealing for votes, it signals something extraordinary
Circle Within Circles
The caste question in Muslims.
Backward March
The Maratha reservation question may continue to mire the next government in the state
The 69% Exception
Quota within quota: lessons to be learned from Tamil Nadu
United Indifference
The perils of tweaking tribal identities
Two Nations, Two Destinies
The widely differing balance of power between the military and civilian leadership in India and Pakistan has significantly impacted democracy in the two countries
Crème de la Crème
The mainstream society thinks reservations are against right to equality. It’s high time they are seen in the context of right to justice.
Fading Folks
The recent SC ruling on sub-classification within the SC and ST categories temporarily lifted the hopes of tribal communities in Jharkhand
