Congratulations on reaching this remarkable milestone—your 60th birthday! May this special day of 11th November be filled with joy, love, and the promise of many more wonderful years ahead.

Our friendship goes back over four decades—since 1991, to be exact—and it has been an immense privilege to have known and worked alongside you all these years – From the Total Literacy Campaign to the Elimination of Child Labour and the Bonded Labour Campaign, and various Human Rights initiatives – we have shared not only work, but a common vision for a more just and compassionate society. It has also been an honour to serve with you as a fellow Trustee at CIVIC.

You are, without doubt, a bold and dependable person—deeply committed to every cause you take up. I am proud to call you a friend, especially in an era when it is not easy to stand firm as a social worker. Through all the challenges, you have remained a tireless and steadfast defender of children’s rights.

You wear many hats: a committed journalist, an educationist, a researcher, and often, a lone voice in the wilderness—speaking for the oppressed and marginalized. You have created platforms for social action groups to make their voices heard and have become a rallying point for those who dream of a better and fairer nation.

How, indeed, does one measure the worth of a person? It is not by titles, status, power, or wealth—but by one’s contribution to building a just and humane community.

Having seen you up close, I can say that your strength comes from two defining qualities: your unwavering commitment to justice and, above all, your moral courage—the courage to speak out, to take risks, and to stand up for what is right, even when the odds are against you.

Dear Vasu, you are sixty years of vintage goodness—refined, inspiring, and full of purpose—rolled into one extraordinary human being. Stay blessed as you step into this new decade of your life. May the years ahead bring you fresh experiences, renewed dreams, and continued impact on the lives you touch.

Your 60th birthday is not an end—it’s a new beginning. May you continue to dream as boldly as you have in the past and look to the future with the same passion and conviction that have defined your journey so far.

With warmest wishes and heartfelt admiration,