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86 poems and a concern:
Mumbai, January 8, 2007: 'A Poem for CRY'! Child Rights and You (CRY), the premier organisation advocating child rights, together with Penguin Books India, published a book of 86 poems, each the choice of an eminent Indian acting as an emissary for child rights. The book, 'A Poem for CRY', was released by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan today. Here we have the choices of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and India's cricket captain Rahul Dravid, renowned sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar and IT baron Azim Premji. Also Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, actors Mr. Aamir Khan and Mr. Shahrukh Khan, Ms. Shabana Azmi and Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, political leaders Mr. A B Vajpayee and Ms. Sonia Gandhi, author Mr. Vikram Seth, singer Jagjit Singh, police officer Ms. Kiran Bedi and 94 other prominent Indians expressing solidarity with CRY and its goals. Commenting on the book, Mr Bachchan said: "CRY and Penguin Books India have provided a unique poetic platform for child rights. The single message: Child Rights is not just the purview of the development sector. It is a responsibility for each one of us -- no matter who we are or what we do. It strongly articulates CRY's conviction that change is possible when people come together for a common objective. To leave behind centuries old biases like those of caste and gender and get involved in the governance of our nation." In the foreword, Prof Amartya Sen states: "The poems are of interest not only for the merits of the poems themselves, but also for telling us something about the commitments and priorities of the selectors that are reflected in their choices. We live not only by our own thoughts formulated in isolation, but also by the ideas and phrases of others that resonate and move us."
Avanti Maluste and Sudeep Doshi, who put the book together over a two-year period, see 'A Poem for CRY' as a creative and lasting medium to take the issue of child rights to wider social groups. Their perseverance in bringing together personalities across continents is truly commendable. Encouraging the effort of Avanti & Sudeep were, ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh reciting a favourite in his melodious voice and young Sara Tendulkar all of 11 years reading out a poem called 'Sachin' chosen by her father, penned by her late grandfather. All part of the collection 'A Poem for CRY'. On behalf of CRY, CEO, Ingrid Srinath, mentioned "Poetry is a luxury restricted to a minority of India's children. Yet it has the power to express thoughts and emotions that range from the sublime to the revolutionary. CRY nurtures the dream that every Indian child can and should attain not only their fundamental rights but to the realm of imagination and creativity this book represents." This is an anthology of poems chosen by a cross-section of well known Indians from all walks of life are not about children nor are they for children -- they are personal. What sets this initiative apart is that it articulates CRY's belief that change is possible when diverse groups choose to merge for a common objective. In this anthology, eminent Indians from all walks of life have used poetry as a platform to articulate their belief for the rights of children. Speaking on the joint venture, Thomas Abraham, CEO & President, Penguin Books India says, "Penguin has had a wonderful relationship with CRY earlier too with our collaboration on Ladybird India. We are delighted to have published 'A Poem for CRY' both for the value of the work (a brilliant idea that has resulted in a brilliant collection with immense value) and for the fact that royalties go to a very worthwhile cause. We'd also like to thank all the eminent people who've contributed selflessly by participating in the project" Making the formal launch possible was support by the Jindal foundation and J W Marriott group. Speaking on the occasion Ms. Sangita Jindal said "We at Jindal are proud to be associated with this worthy event. I have always believed that corporate support of both the social rights and arts worlds is not just important, it is essential. Social messages presented in a form of art are particularly apt to draw the attention of the public and drive the message home, as they entertain and inform at the same time. With child rights activists from CRY, luminaries such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Pt. Ravi Shankar choosing their favourite poems, we at Jindal are privileged to complete the powerful triangle between the social, arts and corporate worlds. We at Jindal "Cherish" people." History About Child Rights and You (CRY) CRY's experience over 27 years has shown that irreversible change is possible when NGOs and communities at grassroots levels, government and active individuals like you, come together to identify, address and resolve issues that constrain children. 'A Poem for CRY' expresses this very belief. For further information visit www.cry.org write to us at webinfo@crymail.org About Penguin Books India Penguin Books India is the largest English-language trade publisher in the subcontinent. Headquartered in New Delhi, the company's commercial activity includes the publishing of its own books in the English language and the distribution of books from overseas publishers including the Penguin Group, Little, Brown Book Group UK, Faber & Faber and Bloomsbury. Penguin India publishes books for children under its children's imprints Puffin and Ladybird. Penguin India has also started its Indian-language publishing programme with the publication of titles in Hindi, Marathi and Urdu. More information is available at www.penguinbooksindia.com. For more information: Penguin
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