E-Paper
Children’s Day Special: Kolkata
We spoke to tweens aged 11 to 15 about what they love, what worries them, what they dream of. Here are the responses from Kolkata.
‘IT WORRIES ME HOW LITTLE TIME I GET, TO DO THE THINGS I LIKE’
ADITYA BHATTACHARYA; CLASS 7, DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL
If you could be anything when you grow up, what would you be?
I want to work with and for animals
What is the one thing you would do if you were an adult right now?
If I were an adult right now then I would have visited many foreign countries
How would you spend Rs 1,000 if you had it today? How you would spend Rs 10,000?
I today I have Rs 1,000 I would spend it by buying good story books. I would spend Rs 10,000 by buying a dog
Name one thing you hate.
I hate cockroaches.
What are you most worried about – outside school work?
How little time I get, to do the things I like. (Example is playing adequate outdoor games).
What do you think is the biggest problem with the world today?
Global warming.
Name one thing you like most about India?
I like the historical monuments and temples of India
Name one thing you would change about India?
I would try to lessen the poverty of India
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
For all the people of the world to live happily among themselves
For all the sick and the poor to be looked after well
For me to do well in my studies and sports
Who’s your hero (outside your family)?
Shah Rukh Khan
What’s your favourite app or website?
YouTube
Who is your favourite musician?
AR Rahman
Who is your favourite sportsperson? Why?
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, because I like his leadership qualities
How far from your house have you ventured on your own?
To the nearby shops of our locality
What’s your favourite thing to do?
Listen to music
What has been the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
The best thing ever happened to me was when I was gifted two birds on my birthday
Five favourite items that you own / like to collect?
Stamps
Bottle caps
Keyrings
Hotwheel cars
Fidget spinners.
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‘THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE WORLD TODAY IS GLOBAL WARMING’
ADRIAN TIMS; CLASS 7, DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL
If you could be anything when you grow up, what would you be?
An IAS officer
What is the one thing you would do if you were an adult right now?
I would buy an iPhone X
How would you spend Rs 1,000 if you had it today? How you would spend Rs 10,000?
I would give my friends a treat with Rs 1000. Rs 10,000 I would give to the poor
Name one thing you hate.
To eat marmalade on toast
What are you most worried about – outside school work?
Doing well in my vocals and guitar exam
What do you think is the biggest problem with the world today?
Global warming
Name one thing you like most about India?
The friendly people
Name one thing you would change about India?
The population
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
To be the smartest person on the earth
To be the most handsome man
Who’s your hero (outside your family).
Superman
What’s your favourite app or website?
Call of Duty
Who is your favourite musician?
Michael Jackson
Who is your favourite sportsperson? Why?
Sachin Tendulkar as he was the best player in the Indian cricket team
How far from your house have you ventured on your own?
To the store shop across my house
What’s your favourite thing to do?
Play table-tennis
What has been the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
Being elected in the student council
Five favourite items that you own / like to collect?
Butterfly TT racket
My Yamaha guitar
My mobile phone
My Nutella chocolate spread
Stamps
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‘THOSE WHO INHABIT THE PLANET ARE HURTING IT’
DOLAN KAJI; CLASS 9, TILJALA BALIKA VIDYALAYA
If you could be anything when you grow up, what would you be?
I like painting and would like to be a painter when I grow up.
What is the one thing you would do if you were an adult right now?
I would like to paint pictures, earn money and look after my parents.
How would you spend Rs 1,000 if you had it today? How you would spend Rs 10,000?
If I had Rs 1,000, It would give it to my parents. If I had Rs 10,000, I would buy study materials, items for painting and then give the rest to my parents.
Name one thing you hate.
I hate showing disrespect to elders.
What are you most worried about – outside school work?
I am worried about the well being of my family and their state of health.
What do you think is the biggest problem with the world today?
Environmental degradation is the biggest problem. Those who inhabit the planet are hurting it.
Name one thing you like most about India?
I like the diversity of India the most -- the fact that there are so many types of people who speak different languages, eat different food and wear different clothes.
Name one thing you would change about India?
Man has to be good and change themselves in order to build a better country.
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
That I can be good in my studies.
That I can do good work
That I can do something that will count
Who’s your hero (outside your family)?
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar (social reformer, educationist)
What’s your favourite app or website?
YouTube
Who is your favourite musician?
Kumar Shanu
Who is your favourite sportsperson? Why?
Sourav Ganguly
How far from your house have you ventured on your own?
I have been to Ballygune station that is about 2 km away from my home.
What’s your favourite thing to do?
Paint
What has been the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
The best thing that happened to me is when I was given the first prize for the second year in succession (this year) at the sit-and-draw competition organised by the community Durga Puja near my house.
Five favourite items that you own / like to collect?
There is nothing is particular.
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‘I HATE THE FACT THAT I HAVE ALREADY SPENT 14 YEARS OF MY LIFE’
YASHFEEN NABIHA; CLASS 9, OUR LADY QUEEN OF THE MISSIONS SCHOOL
If you could be anything when you grew up what would you be?
I would love to be an environmentalist cause certainly we all need to understand the present situation of the world which is becoming worse day by day.
What would be the one thing you would do if you were an adult right now?
I would make people aware of the nation sudden economic decline.
How would you spend Rs 1000 if you had it today? How would you spend rupees 10,000?
If I had Rs 1,000 then I would be buying the Harry Potter series and a few other story books. With an amount of Rs 10,000, I would give Rs 1,000 to the daughter of our domestic help, Rs 5,000 to my mother, spend Rs 2,000 on books and Rs 2,000 for buying clothes for the homeless.
One thing you hate.
I hate the fact that I have already spent 14 years of my life... I want to start my life again.
What are you most worried about – outside school work?
The vanishing Hindu-Muslim brotherhood worries me
One thing you like about India?
The vast culture and traditions will seldom be found in any other country.
What do you think is the biggest problem with the world today?
The rising seawater level and the extinction of animals and the destruction of their natural habitat.
Name one thing you would change about India.
Politically speaking, I think the Prime Minister of our country needs a little more training - soft skill development, behaviour management and also a little bit of kindness and love towards other communities. So till he learns it I want the former prime minister and economist Manmohan Singh to be back.
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
I want to become an IAS officer.
Collect all the sorrows of the world into one big box and bury it deep inside the earth (No burning, it causes pollution)
I would build a big orphanage and invite all childless women, struggling ones and the ones having no family to come and stay there along with the children.
Who’s your hero (outside your family)?
I always had a huge crush on Shah Rukh Khan… he is my hero, idol, inspiration and whatnot.
What’s your favourite app or website?
YouTube and Khan Academy
Who is your favourite musician?
I am a huge fan of Atif Aslam and AR Rahman.
Who is your favourite sportsperson? Why?
I like the KL Rahul and the way he swings his bat and of course his way of presenting himself is worthy of admiration.
How far from your house have you ventured on your own?
Not very far but only uptown my school and back again
What’s your favourite thing to do?
I love reading storybooks and as I have completed writing my first novel I hope to start the second one after my exams.
What has been the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
When I came across Ruskin Bond while bargaining with a shopkeeper when I went to Dehradun.
Five favourite items that you own / like to collect?
My fridge
My room
My personal diary
My T-shirt with my crush’s name written on it
My headphones
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‘I WANT TO BE A ZOOLOGIST... I ONCE HELD A SNAKE IN MY HANDS’
ZITA SINGH; CLASS 7, AUXILIUM CONVENT SCHOOL
If you could be anything when you grow up, what would you be?
A zoologist
What is the one thing you would do if you were an adult right now?
I would stop the felling of trees and filling up of ponds and recover lost forests and water bodies.
How would you spend Rs 1,000 if you had it today? How you would spend Rs 10,000?
If I had Rs 1,000, I would feed street dogs. If I had Rs 10,000 I would arrange for the treatment of stray dogs.
Name one thing you hate.
Deforestation.
What are you most worried about – outside school work?
Indiscriminate felling of trees and filling up of water bodies all around us.
What do you think is the biggest problem with the world today?
Global warming is the biggest problem in the world. Glaciers are melting. Mankind is heading towards an imminent doom.
Name one thing you like most about India?
The orchards.
Name one thing you would change about India?
Our outlook towards the environment
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
The immediate end of deforestation, treatment facilities for stray animals and prevention of water pollution, which is killing fish and many other species
What’s your favourite app or website?
YouTube
Who is your favourite musician?
Kim Nam Jun (South Korean rapper)
Who is your favourite sportsperson? Why?
Hima Das, for her inspirational performance
How far from your house have you ventured on your own?
Barely a few kilometres
What’s your favourite thing to do?
Travel, especially trekking
What has been the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
Introduction to animals. My happiest moment till date is when I held a snake by my hands for the first time when I was in Class 1.
Five favourite items that you own / like to collect?
I like collecting bird nests and stones.
