The Hindu Business Line : A shaft of sunlight

THESE DAYS, without fail, the papers are full of news stories which invariably suggest that there is a devaluation in standards relating to human behaviour.

There are screaming headlines about rape, about bank heists, about wayward politicians who know of nothing else except ways to attain power, about corruption in the administration, about how jailed anti-social elements find staying behind bars no hindrance at all to living "normal" lives, ad nauseam.

For the average citizen, what this means is that, after he finishes going through his morning newspaper, his mind is full of things which do not contribute to leading a healthy and happy life, leave alone spending an enjoyable day ahead.

On Friday morning, there was a welcome change from this routine when one came across a top-of-the-page story datelined Lucknow, which spoke of an Uttar Pradesh district magistrate playing the role of the Good Samaritan. But this is not all.

Indeed, if it were so there would be nothing much to write about because there are so many people playing that role and, most important, going to town with it just to let society know how good they are.

But this is not the case with the DM in question, for it is reported that the young man, who entered the service in 1990, has the rare habit of doing good to a lot of people who need assistance and keeping quiet about it.

To have recourse to specifics, earlier this week, this officer (of Etah district), while inaugurating a cultural function, is said to have been approached by a beggar for some financial help for her girl's marriage which was to take place at the end of the month.

The reports say that the woman was on her knees before the DM while making the appeal. The officer in question is said to have "immediately" given her some money that was on him and, after an appeal was made to the gathering at the function, as much as Rs 20,000 was collected on the spot.

To quote the report: "The DM then declared that Mithilesh (the girl) was a `daughter of the district' and appealed to all individuals and organisations to help with the marriage arrangements.

The response was overwhelming, and now Rijor village, 18 km from Etah, is the hub of activity.

A social organisation is busy erecting a massive pandal for the wedding, some women are preparing the bride's trousseau, a local caterer has offered to supply food for the event, the local police band will play at the wedding and individuals have pitched in to arrange for a bus for the guests.

The DM will perform the kanyaadan...and the local revenue officials have done their bit too by allotting a plot of land for the beggar woman".

One can only pray and hope that the officer in question has been able to alter for the better the course of life of a family which has seen nothing but abject poverty in recent years. But this is not the beginning of the story for the Etah DM.

It is reported that, earlier in the month, he had adopted a young boy whom he had spotted at a railway station tea-stall crying because he had broken some earthen tea-cups the cost of which would be deducted from his wage.

"Bholu, now called Utkarsh, has started going to school in a car, has a new family (the DM's, with his mother's permission), new books, new clothes, new toys — and a new future".

The officer, Mr R. P. Shukla, has been quoted as saying: "I feel it is my duty to help people, if I can. If everybody did their duty, there would be less misery around".

Mr Shukla represents a "shaft of sunlight" which, God willing, could herald a new future for our country.

Ranabir Ray Choudhury

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