DANCING IN THE RAIN

  AZIM H. PREMJI

Summary

  AZIM H. PREMJI

Summary:

Introduction (or) Lesson And Author: The given lines are taken from the thought provoking essay ‘Dancing in the Rain’ written by Azim Premji, who is an Indian tycoon and philanthropist. His speeches and articles on education and innovation are insightful and inspirational.  Azim Premji devotes a lot of time and resources to improve the educational system in India.

Context and Meaning:  In this essay Premji describes the pathetic situation the children of Indian society are in. he wants us to stop burdening the children and encourage them to be creative. He eagerly looks forward to seeing children dance merrily in rain.

The essay opens with a disturbing report on child labour. Premji expresses the pathetic conditions of children employed by Zari Factories. He further says that exploiting children physically, mentally and depriving their childhood pleasure is inhuman and criminal act.

His deep concern and doubts whether children have any time to play with friends, to meet interesting people, to explore the world, and to follow their curiosity. Some children are overburdened with their academic activities whereas others are shackled by poverty and hunger. He cites the example of class 9 student who gets only half-an-hour of free time every day.

Premji reminds himself of Gandhiji’s words that lesson in life are learnt from children than from learned Men. A child fearlessly tries before giving up unlike the adults who give up before trying, out of fear of failure. He concludes the essay saying that India will have a bright future only if the children are free to dance in the rain. India will progress in the true sense if the children are free from the evils of poverty and hunger. Poverty, hunger, parental aspirations and social conditions should not restrict their freedom only then, we can flourish as a society.

Critical Appreciation/ Conclusion: Premji strongly believes that our school should change from being textbook prisons to laboratories of exploration and our homes from being tuition centers to playgrounds of sport and art. A counties growth and prosperity depends on the way the children live. They will grow into healthy and mature adults if they are provided with the joy of childhood. Thus, India will be radiant when our children are free to dance in the rain.