If I am writing, I am privileged.
Yes! English is taught in almost all the schools in India barring regional and rural parts. They read books in English language, write in English. It is there that they are taught the ladder to future is in the craft of articulation and learning English. How many of them can actually write and formulate sentences in English?
The best thing happened with me was that i went to college in a semi-urban city in a newly formed hill state. This was a big step from the urban ultra-hip outgoing culture of my school in Delhi. Kind of a cultural shock in reality. Parents say 'bahar jaake ghar ki keemat pata chalegi' or something of that sort. And 'keemat pata lagi'!
What I saw there was a shocker. Students who came to study (i was living in hostel) kept a dictionary along with them as my first semester involved English and related subjects. Their English was restricted to the words mugged up or made up in their course books.
Call me naive, which i was. I was wondering where was I? In my catholic school where we were conducting debates, creative writing competitions, symposiums, culture events all in English, here it was like a village scene.(No insult, just what I felt then)
It was hard to digest for an 18 year old me to see this part of the world. Wow I was unaware of the world!
Now that I speak and write in English I thank god for giving me the privilege that i took for granted. I thank my papa, who was educated in Hindi medium, started TOI English newspaper when i was in 4th standard. He was the motivation behind all. It was his enthusiasm that made me want to dive and discover what I can do by learning this language. He created an environment around me so that I could get motivated and learn the art of reading English. For months i didn't even touch the newspaper. But staring at them piling on the table made pick them up and read one day.
He took me to Book Fairs, Libraries and subscribed Magazines when I asked him. No questions were asked, when I asked to increase the subscription for another year.
Am I blessed? Am I privileged? I think both. I thank God for the parents and the education I have. My home was my first school.
