Hello Rahul and Everyone,

Truly lovely people and such a worthy cause!

But, the upper-caste and lower-caste stuff seems so, well, matter of fact. In America, if we had had a caste system as such I would most likely be considered lower-caste. Gee, I am trying to get the feel of it...the sound of it....the taste of it....to be of a lower caste..the Chopras, of course would be of the upper-caste....my friend's beautiful, intelligent adopted daughter, from Calcutta, would be lower-caste....maybe even lower than lower since she was in an orphanage....I'm sorry...I'm going on an on about this...but reading those two descriptions kind of took me by surprise.

have a lovely day everyone, ruth

God bless Dr. Misra and his wife.

Thankyou Rahul, but you write,"These tags are important, though, for readers who are not aware of its significance in Indian society."

I just wonder why they are important to point out at all, to anyone, in the context of this story? Are there people who need to know this information for some reason?

just wondering, ruth..

have a wonderful day, ruth

"The great purpose of school can be realized better in dark, airless, ugly places.... It is to master the physical self, to transcend the beauty of nature. School should develop the power to withdraw from the external world."
---------------------------------------------
William Torrey Harris.
The Philosophy of Education.

First and foremost Dr.Mishra is an Individual. One cannot suppose, his caste has anything to do with what he is doing or not doing, unless he says so.otherwise it leads to perceptional fallacy.

First and foremost Dr.Mishra is an Individual. One cannot suppose, his caste has anything to do with what he is doing or not doing, unless he says so. Otherwise it leads to perceptional fallacy. Even in America you don’t say, A Black man or a white man said so; instead you say William Torry Harris said so. The racial identity of Mr. William Torrey Harris is a matter of private concern as far as readers go.

Dear Rahul,

An inspiring story in more ways than one. I think it could as well be called 'the power of one'. People who want to do something don't wait for it to happen they simply go out and make it happen themselves. Thats the real example they set us.

As regards the title, I have to agree with Ruth. It was also the first thing that struck me too. Caste had nothing to do with this. It wasnt for lower or upper caste or for children of any faith. Dr. Mishra just wanted to give something to underprivilidged children regardless of caste or faith.

Rahul please don't take this as a criticism. Somehow these days everything that happens is seen in the light of the caste of the people involved. We actually contribute towards perpetuating caste distinction rather than eliminating it.

Warm regards,
Dara

Sorry meant the preamble, not the title.

Dara

indrakaran, I've learned difficult materials in dark, airless ugly places, and in strobe-lit, loud-volume dance clubs. School is a state of mind. Teachers make that state of mind wherever they go. We can turn within to our own teacher potential, too, and with the right material at hand, make a school in our minds. The physical environment is nonessential, in that respect.

But to learn difficult materials, no matter what the environment, there need to be physical safety and learning materials, which even the best teachers can't provide adequately without funds.

I know virtually nothing about caste in India, but if it works even a little bit like social class does in the US, caste is important because there would generally be social pressure expressed towards high caste people to not devote their lives to assisting low caste people. In other words, besides the standard obstacles to starting and running a private school from one's private income plus some donations, there would also be negative social pressure, and all that entails, to be resisted and overcome, over and over.

And the caste might need to be mentioned explicitly in a piece with global reach, whereas in India, the photos would tell the caste story. (Am I doing OK with this, so far?)

Hi hgquinn,
Not exactly.

In democratizing the space/societies/Humanity, which is essential for affirmation of life and also continuation (or else we will all be stifled to death), we all both as individuals and collective have to redefine codified Identities, attributes from time to time. Only to find new and fresh perspectives that adds to life creatively. It is must for Humanity if it wants to continue surviving.

If one wants to hang on to conventions apparently created some two thousand years back, based on the then sociological conditions, which has now become corrupted and dysfunctional is more like hanging on to one’s Appendix out of attachment.
The point here is how individual inspiration and achievements take place in given set of conditions, which are original and though provoking not caste.

It would be more than obvious for someone like Dr.Mishra to be idealistic given his expose to higher education and various aspects of reality, which has been proved time and again. As an example take the case of Dr. Ambdekar ,A Dalit, who is credited with penning the Indian constitution, which should make us reflect as to how an individual has managed to accomplish despite the odds. In telling the story the author’s reference to upper caste in no way signify that caste being the factor in Dr.Mishra’s accomplishment s as it is not the influencing or limiting factor in his decision to serve or run a school for the deprived and marginalized .

Obviously you can’t be running a school for royals and claim it as motivational selfless activity, which demands social recognition. For this simple reason alone the mention of caste becomes redundant and also indirectly compromises the good work Dr.Mishra is doing.
I don't see any reason why we should be talking baout it in the first place.I am sorry.

regards,
indrakaran.

I think, the author could have used "class" instead of "caste" to convey the meaning to Westerners, without unnecessary complications. Most westerners don't know about the term "caste" as the Indians do.

"If I had written this story for an Indian readership, there would have been no need of putting these tags. These tags are important, though, for readers who are not aware of its significance in Indian society."

I disagree with Rahul Pandita

On the contrary, the labels of caste in a subtitle works well to capture the attention of an average Indian audience, rather than the westerner who don't really understand the very real socio-political significance of caste system in contemporary India.

All kinds of affirmative actions are like double edge sword. It is the intent that is important. In America we have race factor and sometimes one gets to see it work both ways, depending on the reality of local conditions, which does not mean, the world be seen in black and white terms, there is no solution in that. The idea is to transcend such limitations of perspectives and broaden Race in to color and multi ethnicity (which is progressive and democratic) and what happens beyond that is the context of those times and specifics of such conditions.

In India the notion of Affirmative action has radically failed, hence it has become problematic, so dealing with caste as a stereo type is a dangerous trend which has destructive dynamics. Under the circumstances arguing for or opposite is not a constructive or creative process nor does it in actuality lead to any genuine solution.

So the problem remains unresolved and spreads its filth all around in to most unsuspecting areas contaminating the public space and also general apathy. (who would fix the public toilets…?, so here comes the contractor+politician nexus in appropriating Human services, situations, which in the end make us fight each other for privileges, instead of making us more responsible and progressive, Leading to another set of stereotypes in continuation of the problematic, so where is the end, simple problems made complicated and one’s again you need Mishraji ‘s in this world to champion).

Then we have specialists, who bring in their specialized problems such as Military Industrial complex etc.

The more sensible and progressive should think of the context and case specific reality in addition to systematic attention to details, rather than generalities.

Even if one has a specific motive in playing the stereo type, it does not really serve the purpose; instead it only adds another dimension leading to distortion of reality, which as it is complex enough.

The decision to do so is ‘wisdom’; either received through common sense or informed understanding.

Not all of Wiki is factual.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_caste_system

Regards,
Indrakaran.

In the US, the people who fix public toilets make more money than I do, because the US is a market-based society. It took several hundred years for that particular dynamic to happen, though -- to move to the point where class and background meant less than the market valuation of the skill. Since caste is of very long standing in India, slow progress does not mean no progress. (By fix, I assume you mean repair. Cleaning public toilets is still a low-paid job, most often performed by women, but at least they are not considered demeaned by the work they do anymore. So progress, even on that front.)

Hi,
hgquinn-
Ref- Who would fix the public toilets. This is exactly what I meant by stereotyping, which has it pitfalls.

What I meant is Public space/domain, where in the general attitude will be not my business leading human apathy which gives way to the argument of privatization of basic, social and communal services, For example education and health.

In the process we become part of societies as in west with super structures like ‘Military-Industrial complex and ‘Gods’ in Asia and the politics of such, which ultimately stifle us and our sensibilities.

Regards,
Indrakaran.