By Sanjay Balan
Who has spent much of his life serving the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, first through government service, and now through community work and writing. He continues to work quietly behind the scenes, advising the Member of Parliament, supporting families, and speaking up on issues that matter to ordinary islanders. Through his writing and efforts, he seeks to give back to the community that shaped him, bringing compassion and clarity to sensitive subjects. He believes words can heal, and that no islander should ever feel alone in their darkest moment.
WHERE ONE LIFE FADES, LET A THOUSAND HANDS RISE TO PROTECT THE NEXT
Another young life has been lost in our islands.
Another family shattered, another circle of friends stunned into silence.
And once again, the rest of us are left with that familiar, heavy question:
“What is happening to our children?”
In a place as small and close-knit as the Andamans, every tragedy echoes louder. We don’t have the anonymity of metros. Here, one student’s pain ripples across entire villages, classrooms, and hostels. And yet, something is changing in our social fabric, quietly, invisibly, making our young people feel more alone than ever.
Today’s pressures come from everywhere:
the fear of failure, the weight of expectations, social media comparisons, unstable relationships, financial stress, lack of counsellor support, hostel isolation.
And often, our kids don’t know how to articulate what they are going through.
Worse, many are convinced that nobody will understand.
As parents, teachers, friends, and as a community, we must accept a difficult truth,
We are not having the conversations that matter.
We talk about marks, careers, discipline, and “what people will say,” but we rarely talk about fear, anxiety, heartbreak, confusion, or loneliness.
We preach resilience, but we often do not teach coping.
And it is costing us lives.
This is not about blame.
This is about responsibility, collective responsibility.
The Andamans need to normalise mental health discussions the way we discuss weather or road conditions. Our colleges need dedicated counselors. Hostels need better emotional oversight. Parents need to recognise that listening is sometimes more important than lecturing. Society needs to stop reducing youth struggles to “tension mat lo” or “itna bhi kya ho gaya.”
Most importantly, every young person in the isles must hear this clearly:
You are not alone.
You are not a burden.
Nothing in this world is worth your life.
And there is always someone who will stand by you, if only you let them know.
If even one student reads this and pauses before taking an irreversible step, then it is worth saying.
And worth repeating.
We have lost too many.
Let this be the moment the islands finally decide:
No more silence.
No more stigma.
No more young lives slipping away unnoticed.
