State of India's children in the world's largest democracy.

Google Tech Talks May, 19 2008 ABSTRACT After 60 years of freedom, while India races towards super power status; its children are trapped in a maze of imbalance that deprives, excludes and exploits. We are all proud of India's unprecedented economic growth. More Indians than ever before own mobile phones, computers, cars, household and personal durables, travel within India and overseas. Most cities today have more flyovers, more malls, more coffee shops. Middle class consumers have more brands to choose from than ever before. IT, financial services, bio-tech and retail employ many more young Indians at ever-increasing salaries. Indian corporates are making more overseas acquisitions and alliances. What is often not known is that 60 years after independence, in the worlds largest democracy, millions of Indian children continue to have their very survival threatened on a daily basis -- malnutrition, illiteracy, child labor, preventable diseases, abuse and exploitation. India is home to 400 million children. 46% of Indian children are underweight. We have 17 million child laborers. 88,000 schools (nearly 8%) still do not have a blackboard in their classes. These figures are shocking. But can this situation change? CRY -- Child Rights and You America Inc has proven that it can... community.america.cry.org/bayarea Mission: To enable people to take responsibility for the situation of underprivileged children, especially Indian, and so motivate them to confront the situation through collective action thereby giving the child and themselves an opportunity to realize their full potential. VISION: To enable people to take responsibility for the situation of the deprived child especially Indian and so motivate them to confront the situation through collective action thereby giving the child and themselves an opportunity to realise their full potential. Speaker: President of Cry America