Sharab Ka Theka : The Hidden Cost Of Alcohol
An elderly man seeking educational sponsorship for his three granddaughters; a mother requesting help to secure her daughter’s admission in a nearby school; an older woman searching for additional work as a cook; and a middle-aged woman struggling to find a stable job to sustain her family. While their situations may appear different, they share a painful common reality—the sole earning member of each of their families passed away due to complications arising from excessive alcohol consumption. During one of my community visits to an urban slum in Pune, I witnessed another alarming incident. A man had misbehaved with his wife the previous evening while intoxicated. When I visited their home the following morning, he was filled with remorse. He broke down and said, “Sir, pata nahin kya ho jaata hai peeke” (I don’t know what happens to me when I am drunk). This moment reflected a deeper truth—alcohol not only harms individuals but also destabilizes entire families. During th...