“Mr. Child Rights” the felicitation recently by friends in Bengaluru on his 60th birthday with this banner and title sums up my friend Vasu whose conviction and commitment to children is synonymous with his name!

I first met Vasu when he was with CRY eyes twinkling behind his glasses and his hair falling across his forehead sharing information on children in Karnataka very forcefully things that needed to be speeded up and highlighted by UNICEF if we wanted to see results. 

I recall his impatience with the endless rounds of meetings and policy discussions and the selective hearing by the government on issues that mattered and our discussions on how to really get the dialogue to yield something tangible and positive for children.

In the 1990’s even after the CRC was ratified and signed by the Government of India, Children’s Rights were dismissed or subsumed into the ‘Bigger “issues of environment or women’s rights. 

Vasu’s ability to transform abstract concepts highlighting Child Rights into practical steps that could be taken up at community level by NGO partners, panchayats and individuals was very critical in disseminating and building up a constituency for children. His sincerity and never give up attitude helped to make systemic changes. 

The setting up of Child Rights Trust by a respected UNICEF senior colleague Dr R Padmini and having Vasu to helm the organization was the perfect platform to bring different voices and people together for children. CRT has lived up to its name and by its consistent and relentless focus on children’s issues has successfully integrated children’s rights both in policy and practice. 

Child Friendly Gram Panchayats, setting up of the KCRO, Child Rights mapping in constituencies, setting up oversight processes in Juvenile Institutions, NGO networking, making available detailed manuals and documentation on children for civil society have all helped in building up the child rights movement in the southern states with Vasu and CRT playing a key role. 

Vasu has mellowed over the years and learnt to accept and work along with the foibles of the system while never giving up to make it more accountable. 

More power to you Vasu and  many more challenges to overcome in today’s world .