In the beginning a few women and ASHA workers arrived, and I thought it would be the
usual kind of workshop I am used to, with selected stakeholders from the community. But I
suddenly saw two tempos filled with men who were workers and labourers. It felt like a wave
had arrived for intellectual discussions. This is the first time in my life that I had seen men with
saffron-red handkerchiefs around their necks, stepping down from tempos with symbols of
gods/goddesses on them (which they use for moving around as they live a nomadic life),
arriving for this kind of an event. In fact, the registration forms were almost entirely filled with
thumb impressions in place of signatures, with a few well educated youth among them too. The
best moment was when this entire crowd chanted the Preamble of the Indian Constitution – this
was truly the beginning of a wave of intellectual revolution.

Diksha, a youth volunteer attending training with NT-DNT community members

During the lockdown it was people from among us who took leadership and started helping
each other. No one from outside came to help. We should support these persons who take
initiative and take care of us at every emergency, even when they have just as little in their house – they are our true leaders.

A NT-DNT woman, during training on Disaster Management & Community Resilience

I will be aware of what the women in my life are going through. My family members, female
friends.. I realize that my role is to support in case of any wrongdoing they face, allow them space to share.

Young man after workshop on Self-Defense

Even though National commissions & committees are formed to identify NT-DNT groups
and study their status, this study shouldn’t be repetitive. Every initiative taken or efforts made
must be a step ahead of the existing knowledge resource, this will help us to reach a just society
sooner.

Adv. Asim Sarode, in Bhatke Vimukt Mahila Mahacharcha

I am touched that girls are asking for my love today on Valentine’s Day, that they need support to share about problems in their relationships. I will try my best to provide a safe environment for them to open and ask for support.

-Vice Principal of junior college (LJNJ Mahila Sangh college), upon receiving a letter from students

If tomorrow something inhuman happens to me, my father, mother, family, community,
nation, race, gender, everyone may disown me, but constitution will not and cannot disown me.

Aditya Thapa (CHM College, A winner in 2020 Constitution Literacy Exam)

As the group started telling me that my nature (sticker on my back) is equal to what I do for a livelihood and started laughing at me, it just made me realise that the label on my back is just that – a label – but how the person, who has that identity in real life, must be made to feel by society. I felt ashamed of how we treat people who are different from us, and we hurt their mental health.

Youth participant after a game of ‘social labelling’

Mental health includes are emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how
we think, feel, and act. It also determines how to handle stress, make choices etc. Hence, mental
health is important at all stages of life.

A teacher in Inter-College ‘Youth Mental Justice’ Seminar

Today I overcame my fear of the police, it was my first time at the police station. What felt
even better is that they want to work with us further.

Youth, excited and learning how to work with stakeholders

The Indian Constitution is our guide and it felt very nice that we celebrated today by
remembering its values

A senior officer of the Manpada police station, Dombivali East