Abstarct Of Conversation with Mr. Thakur (chair, (ISADABBI))

["Rajan Malhotra (MTS-RAL)" <Rajan.Malhotra@dcicorp.com>]

Title: Abstarct Of Conversation with Mr. Thakur (chair, (ISADABBI))

Friends,

Ref : "Six Point Program for Dowry Eradication and Bride burning In India"

After reading thru the program and it's objective lot of queries popped up in my mind as to what this Organization (International Society Against Dowry and Bride-Burning in India, Inc. (ISADABBI)) is about, what are their goals , What opinions they have, what work it has done. So I wrote down a few queries and put them across Mr. Himendra Thakur who is the  Chair, board of directors of this organization. Please read out below the abstract of the views he has about this. If any of you guys want to know more about this organization, it's work feel free to send in a mail to Mr. Thakur at the address given at the end.

----------- Conversation with Mr. Himendra Thakur follows

Dear Rajan,

Let me try to reply to your queries point-by-point:

Question 1. When and where exactly this next conference will take
place in India or elsewhere.

Answer: The dates will be January 27, 28, 29 & 30, 2001, in New Delhi,
India. We are trying to book the hall at Bigyan Bhawan, but they are
asking a huge deposit. I shall keep you posted as the negotiations
develop.

Question 2. In what form will we think the victims or those
suffering shall get the benefit from this conference.

Answer: No immediate result. The Conference is designed to convince the
Government of India to implement the "Six Point Program". If they
start, the dowry victims will receive benefit. If they do not, we will have to raise funds to implement the program. Just one "Job Centre for Dowry Victim" will need $2,000,000, about 9 crores of rupees in India. If the Government does not take up the program, we will have to raise

$2,000,000 which is much more than the $10,000 that we are trying to
raise for the Conference, and facing all kinds of questions.

Question 3. Any past records as to positive results achieved
since the Organization started in 1995.

Answer: None. There is NO record of any positive results achieved. We
are just holding conference after conference, and we have miserably
failed to raise funds needed to achieve positive results. The people of
India, whether in India or abroad, have so far not been very
enthusiastic about any work towards eradication of dowry and
bride-burning. I always blame myself for being unable to inspire my
countrymen. I am an old IIT engineer ... a 65+ year old superannuated
loser ... and people reject what I say.

I am sure you will succeed where I failed. Maybe people have changed now. Maybe I made gross mistake in my approach. Let us hope for the best : let us not give up hope. 

Question 4. Will the conference be  merely a debate/discussion
on the topic, or it would try to come to some conclusions/decisions as
to what steps can be started to implement this activity , other than
motivating the government.

Answer : This is a very good question. In fact, we are looking for
suggestions as to what we should do at the conference. As of now, we
are planning to call for research papers related to the subjects of the
"Six Point Program". The deadline for these research papers will be June 30, 2000, about 6 months before the conference. A group of scholars from London University and Harvard University will be requested to examine these papers. The quality papers (irrespective of opinion) will be printed in a Souvenir. A "Work-Plan" paper will be written based on the material received in these research papers. The "Work-Plan" will be presented to the Prime Minister for implementation, together with the Souvenir which will contain all the related research papers. It is a deep-rooted problem, and it needs a thorough scrutiny.

Any plan to implementation of the "Work-Plan" other than motivating the
government will call for extensive fund raising. We will have to go for
that if we cannot convince the government.

Question 5. Do you have any media coverage/press feedback on the
previous conferences.

Answer : At the beginning, Indian media like Indian people ignored all
our efforts. The "First International Conference on Dowry and
Bride-Burning in India" held at Harvard Law School in 1995 was reported
in "The Boston Globe", "Harvard Magazine" and "Harvard Gazzette", but
Indian papers, in spite of our best efforts, did not give any coverage.
Even  Mr. Kakaria of "India Today" burst out laughing when he heard
about the conference. Same was the fate of the "Second Conference" at
Harvard in 1996. When the "Third Conference" was held at London
University in 1997, a number of Indian papers of UK promised that they
would cover the event, but only people present were BBC, who covered it
in their radio program. Indian media were conspicious by their well
calculated absence.

However, I think the things are changing for better. "The Statesman"
And "The Hindu" did print my interview in February, 1997. The "Fourth
International Conference" was reported in "India Abroad".  United
Nation Radio aired my interview in February 1999 and December 1999. I am sure Indian media could do much better.
 

With love to everyone,
Himendra Thakur

Chair,
Board of Directors,
International Society Against Dowry and Bride-Burning in India, Inc. (ISADABBI)

(A Tax - Exempt Non-Profit Incorporation in the USA)

ISADABBI
P.O. Box 8766
Salem, MA-01971,
USA
TEL: USA-978-462-6159
FAX: USA-978-462-6347
email: hthakur@shore.net