Shabana Azmi with
the vibrant 103-old Basant Kaur
NEW DELHI (Hindustan Times), October 8, 2005:
'Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?'
The Beatles' song may be old itself, but it lies at the heart of what most of us fear: not death, but neglect; not the added years, but lack of love, lack of respect.
Paying a special tribute to the less privileged and disadvantaged aged persons, HelpAge India, a voluntary organisation engaged in mitigating the misery of the disadvantaged older persons, in collaboration with Archies Greetings, launched an exclusive range of greeting cards titled "Hope in an Envelope" for Diwali.
Shabana Azmi, actress-turned-social activist, graced the occasion by extending her contribution to achieve this noble cause.
Shabana also graced the occasion
"The days of special bonding between grandparents and grandchildren are fading fast and the decline of the traditional ways of supporting the elderly is steadily setting in. The society has to internalise that the seniors deserve visibility and respect. We must acknowledge the benign sacrifices our elders have made and extend full support to HelpAge India."
Adding more fervour to the occasion was the vibrant Basant Kaur, aged 103, with three generations of her family. Basant Kaur has been abandoned by her sons and presently lives in Jahangirpuri, counting the last days of her life.
If taking people for a ride is deplorable, it is more so when those being ripped off are dependents. Renu Kaur, the daughter and caretaker of Basant Kaur, says, "We wake up on the morning of our 60th birthdays, and suddenly we are 'old' and 'senior citizens'. We don't feel any different from the day or the month or the year before, but we are now officially old."
Mathew Cherian, CEO HelpAge India, said that a substantial part of the money raised through the special collection would be utilised for overall welfare and upliftment of aged. "'Hope in an envelope' is a solemn attempt to rekindle the dying light in the lives of the lesser fortunate elderly, this Diwali."
Today, the government is promoting a model, which helps people to live more independently. The intention underlining the initiative is to restructure and care for the lives of the aged in the society.
Adding to the festive mood, Shabana Azmi said, "Let us accord our seniors the status that they deserve in society. Let them take a brush and paint a picture so that a surge of creativity comes out. Above all, let us never apologise for growing old."
By Vibhuti Agarwal
Shabana Azmi with
the vibrant 103-old Basant Kaur
NEW DELHI (Hindustan Times), October 8, 2005:
'Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?'
The Beatles' song may be old itself, but it lies at the heart of what most of us fear: not death, but neglect; not the added years, but lack of love, lack of respect.
Paying a special tribute to the less privileged and disadvantaged aged persons, HelpAge India, a voluntary organisation engaged in mitigating the misery of the disadvantaged older persons, in collaboration with Archies Greetings, launched an exclusive range of greeting cards titled "Hope in an Envelope" for Diwali.
Shabana Azmi, actress-turned-social activist, graced the occasion by extending her contribution to achieve this noble cause.
Shabana also graced the occasion
"The days of special bonding between grandparents and grandchildren are fading fast and the decline of the traditional ways of supporting the elderly is steadily setting in. The society has to internalise that the seniors deserve visibility and respect. We must acknowledge the benign sacrifices our elders have made and extend full support to HelpAge India."
Adding more fervour to the occasion was the vibrant Basant Kaur, aged 103, with three generations of her family. Basant Kaur has been abandoned by her sons and presently lives in Jahangirpuri, counting the last days of her life.
If taking people for a ride is deplorable, it is more so when those being ripped off are dependents. Renu Kaur, the daughter and caretaker of Basant Kaur, says, "We wake up on the morning of our 60th birthdays, and suddenly we are 'old' and 'senior citizens'. We don't feel any different from the day or the month or the year before, but we are now officially old."
Mathew Cherian, CEO HelpAge India, said that a substantial part of the money raised through the special collection would be utilised for overall welfare and upliftment of aged. "'Hope in an envelope' is a solemn attempt to rekindle the dying light in the lives of the lesser fortunate elderly, this Diwali."
Today, the government is promoting a model, which helps people to live more independently. The intention underlining the initiative is to restructure and care for the lives of the aged in the society.
Adding to the festive mood, Shabana Azmi said, "Let us accord our seniors the status that they deserve in society. Let them take a brush and paint a picture so that a surge of creativity comes out. Above all, let us never apologise for growing old."
By Vibhuti Agarwal
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