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Malala – daring to dream


With the American first family - Exactly a year ago 
Malala Yousafzai is a symbol of human aspirations.  What did she want apart from the simple things of life?  Nothing.  She wanted education, freedom to live her life as she would choose, and the space to dream.  Why didn’t people give her that? 

When she was shot point-blank as she was returning home from school, it was the innocence and aspirations of childhood that was assaulted.  Malala was just 15 years old when she became the target of religious fundamentalists.  She was a child.  Why would a child be a threat to any religion?  What kind of a religion is it that permits the murder of innocent children?  The masked Taliban gunman who attacked Malala asked, “"Which one of you is Malala? Speak up, otherwise I will shoot you all."  His religious fervour was such that he could kill a whole lot of innocent school children.  No normal human being can understand the relevance or meaning of such a religion.

“I had a terrible dream yesterday with military helicopters and the Taleban. I have had such dreams since the launch of the military operation in Swat. My mother made me breakfast and I went off to school. I was afraid of going to school because the Taleban had issued an edict banning all girls from attending schools.”  Malala wrote that in her BBC blog on 3 Jan 2009, three years before she was attacked by the Taliban. 


A girl who wishes to study, a child who wants to have dreams and not nightmares – that was Malala.  That is Malala.  She is a symbol of the dreams of every child.  The Nobel Prize Committee has done the right thing to honour her with the award.  It has drawn the attention of the world to a serious issue: the child’s right to dream.  

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  1. Tomichan MatheikalOctober 13, 2014 at 9:29 AM

    And that too a little girl. She started writing as a little girl, I mean. Even 17 is not much of an age given her status now.

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  2. Devesh PrajapatiOctober 13, 2014 at 4:46 PM

    Very true sir, She is a true inspiration to girls and she showed her women power or dedication towards studies.

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    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalOctober 13, 2014 at 9:31 PM

      She has become a mascot for the West against a certain kind of religion. But I'm not worried about the politics behind it.

      Delete
  3. Ankita October 13, 2014 at 8:10 PM

    yes, but still,I do not think she deserves a Noble prize. There are many unsung heroes who do rather this girl who has recv more applauds than she actually deserves.

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    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalOctober 13, 2014 at 9:35 PM

      "Full many a flower is born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air," as Thomas Grey sang. We had never heard of Kailash Satyarti until the Nobel committee discovered him. Malala is a young girl whose spirit (mettle) deserves recognition.

      Malala's case is not just about a blog or what she writes. It is about a whole lot of people suppressed and oppressed in the name of religion. The Prize draws the world's attention to that problem. That's important.

      Delete
  4. UnknownOctober 14, 2014 at 11:37 AM

    Talking about dream. It did remind me of my dream yesterday. I was reading khaled hosseini's novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and didn't realise when I slept and ended up dreaming. It was scary. With all the Taliban attacks happening all over, I was scared to death. It wasn't less than a nightmare. It took me 15 minutes to get back to the reality of life. A dream left such an impact on me, imagine kids facing that everyday. They never ask for much. All they need is a place to learn and a place to play. Education is the right of every child. Malala is sure a symbol of dreams of every child.
    Nice read :)

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    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalOctober 14, 2014 at 4:55 PM

      Life in all the Muslim countries where Taliban and the like (IS, for example) are active is a nightmare. 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' shows one part of the picture. The actual picture is much worse. Hence the greater relevance of dreams. The greater need to probe into what the militant and fundamentalist organisations are doing. Malala's service is of much value in this regard.

      Delete
  5. UnknownOctober 15, 2014 at 1:07 PM

    True example and inspiration for woman power!!

    ReplyDelete

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