Raju, a small child of about 7 years old, living in a place in district Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was always on lookout of some mischief. His father has a small tea-stall on the road-side.
His mother also helps in tea-stall during rush hours. Raju has a sister about 4 years younger to him. Both brother and sister go to school. Raju goes for formal school and the younger sister in the play school, rather a nearby house where the land lady has organized some toys, few playful activities and refreshment to attract children. Accordingly, she charges a nominal amount and that has become a source of livelihood for her.
Raju does not like coming to his father tea-stall and he wants to become a teacher like his maths teacher who comes in a motor-bike and wears good clothes and has a concrete house. Raju lives in a small hut shaped house that gives passage to water when it rains.
Raju father’s does not want him to study further as he feels that he should handle the tea-stall as early as possible. Thus every day he forcibly makes Raju sit in small shop and calculate the daily sales. His father also sometimes asks him to serve tea to customers which Raju just hates.
Many times Raju has told his parents that he does not want to do this work and wants to concentrate in studies and become a teacher. But his parents would not listen. One day his father slapped him and scolded him and threatened him that he would not send him to school from tomorrow if he refuses to sit on the tea-stall.
Next day Raju decided to inform his school Principal about all what happened. He even cried and told his Principal that he would run away from house if his father kept insisting this. That night he did not go home and stayed at the house of his Principal. Principal sent a message to Raju’s father that his son would stay with him tonight and he should meet him next morning. Next morning Raju’s father went to meet the Principal. Principal scolded his father and told him that he is on the side of Raju and that he should not ask Raju to sit in his tea-stall. He also informed him that if he continues to do so he would be destroying the future of Raju. The father understood that the matter was serious and is not mere a child’s ego.
He promised the Principal that from now he would only encourage his children to study and not involve them into tea-stall work. He also promised that Raju can study as much he wants and one day “Raju Banega Gentleman”.
