Twenty eight- year- old Dileep Chakravorty lives in a village two hours away from Calcutta. He has studied up to class eight and is the store keeper and office boy at Thoughtshop Foundation, a campaign ally. At first, he used to attend campaign meetings as part of his job but soon got interested for his own sake and began participating actively. He helps organise events and talk to people. “This campaign has helped me come to terms with my own life. I have been married for eight years. During the first few years of my marriage I was unemployed. Those were hard times financially. I used to be frustrated with life and hit my wife “in the heat of the moment”. I realise now that I would resort to violence whenever I was going through a difficult patch. It had nothing to do with my wife’s behaviour and I never felt good after hitting her – sometimes I would not be able to eat the rest of the day. I realise now that violence has only negative consequences and I have vowed never to be violent with my wife. When I think of how I behave with my mother – I realise that I have often talked to her dismissively or rudely. I often have been disrespectful to her. Now I consciously treat her with more respect. In our home my mother serves everyone at meal times. While there is always plenty of rice, my mother will usually give the men (my father, brother and me) more of the other special food. When we ask why she and the women are not having the special food she brushes it aside saying they have already had a helping of it. But since I do the shopping I know the truth. Now I handle the situation by saying I am full and cannot eat any more. This way the women get to enjoy the special food. My mother believes that men need more food because they go out to work. I realise now that my wife and mother are both working equally hard in the fields and at home. They, too, need as much food. I have always helped with housework. In fact , my neighbours used to taunt me asking whether I was a half women. now know that I was right in helping with the household chores. In fact, I am involved in raising our child. I do almost everything needed, including cleaning him up. My brother does not help at all and I am trying to make him realise the need to share the burden of housework. Earlier, I used to get annoyed when my wife wanted to spend more time at her parents home. I also took my parents side if there was an argument between them and my wife. Now I realise that I was being unfair to my wife. Today, I let her decide when she wants to visit her parents and how long she want to stay. I am trying hard to improve myself as a human being – and give my wife respect she deserves. I am convinced that this will improve our relationship and quality of life. In fact when my salary increased I told my wife first and we have decided to open a bank account in her name where I will save money for her every month.”