A Farmer Sucide

Article was about a farmer’s family who had committed suicide due to debt few years ago.. The said newspaper’s Nagpur edition which i was going through online was nearing its first anniversary and everyone was thinking to have a party.. The regional editor, also a well known short story writer had just returned from neighboring rural area where he had been to cover current hot topic i.e. “farmer’s suicide”.. As he settled in his office his colleagues surrounded and asked for anniversary plan.. He was still in shock.. He then revealed how he was touched to see poverty of families just few kms away from the glittering orange city.. Everyone was moved by the fact a farmer had to end his life as he couldn’t pull any resource to feed his family of 3, wife and two daughters, one in 10th the other one in 5th standard.. Decent shelter or hopes for completing education for kids was even hard to imagine or expect.. Mismanaged water irrigation in district combined with drought collapsed their budget and the farmer had to take extreme action..



The local newspaper office unanimously decided to divert all approved budget for the anniversary celebration to the poor family.. Editor handed over 19000 Rs to the needy family and as days progressed everyone almost forgot the incident..


Three years on, someone asked for the editor over a phone.. The voice across phone was of an elderly lady with lots of enthusiasm and excitement.. She said, “With your blessings, my daughter completed HSC and would find a job soon..” It took a while to get all references and realize it was the same family who was helped with 19K Rs,,


He asked, “You did not ask for more money. Was our modest help sufficient? ” She said “We still have 2000 Rs left”.. “What?? How could a family of 3 survive in 17000 Rs for three years?” He asked with utmost disbelief.. And she questioned back with equal ease, “How much it requires for poor people to survive???”


Even if they had managed to work part time, still the family could survive entire year in an amount that today’s urban middleclass just spends on parties and lot much unnecessary expenses in a month..


I changed my handset in three months .. Perhaps I shall still change this 17 K handset in next three months.. But now, somewhere I feel guilty to know this amount is sufficient for a family to survive for three years, for couple of girls to complete their education.. and for a poor farmer to save his life!