While We Read – Question & Answers
a. What impact did his father’s death have on Bablu’s family?
Answer: After his father died, Bablu’s mother had to struggle alone to support the family. Bablu dropped out of school to get a job and help her.
b. What traits of Bablu impress you?
Answer: Bablu is hardworking, curious, determined, and socially committed. He continues his experiments despite social pressure, showing courage and persistence.
c. How would the exorbitant price of sanitary napkins affect the family budget?
Answer: Buying pads every month would make it difficult for Bablu’s family to afford other basic items like milk, curd, or ghee.
d. Why was Bablu determined to start a new project? What was it?
Answer: Bablu wanted to help his wife and sister by creating affordable sanitary pads so they wouldn’t have to use unhygienic rags. His project aimed to improve menstrual hygiene.
e. What was the response of Bablu’s family to his experiments?
Answer: His family was ashamed and upset. His wife and mother left him because they feared social disgrace.
f. What was the response of the villagers to Bablu’s experiments? What do you think of their attitude?
Answer: The villagers mocked and isolated Bablu’s family. Their attitude was narrow-minded and judgmental, highlighting how society resists change.
g. Why was Bablu determined to continue his experiments even against his family’s wishes?
Answer: Bablu wanted to help women like his wife and sister live healthier lives. He saw their pain and decided to be a solution provider, not just a bystander.
h. Describe Bablu’s plight at the end of the story.
Answer: Bablu was left alone by his family and friends, poor and humiliated. Yet, he remained determined to complete his project for the sake of women’s dignity and health.
Let’s Recall and Recreate
1. Letter of Invitation to Arunachalam Muruganantham
From:
English Club, Government HSS
Malappuram, Kerala
Date: 20 October 2024
To:
Mr. Arunachalam Muruganantham
Padma Shri Awardee
Subject: Invitation to Young Innovators Programme
Dear Sir,
We are conducting an Idea Generation Contest on National Entrepreneurship Day (3 November). We kindly invite you to be the Chief Guest and inspire our students with your valuable experiences.
Your presence will truly enrich the programme.
Yours sincerely,
Anjali P.
Secretary, English Club
2. Speech on ‘Entrepreneurship: The Path to the Nation’s Progress’
Thank you for pointing that out. Here’s an enriched and well-structured version of the speech from Activity 2: Let’s Recall and Recreate in Chapter 2: A Phoenix Rises (Class 10 English Unit II), based on the prompt:
🎤 Speech: “Entrepreneurship – The Path to the Nation’s Progress”
(To be delivered in the school assembly)
Respected principal, teachers, and my dear friends,
Good morning to you all. Today, I am here to speak on a topic that is both inspiring and essential for our country’s future — “Entrepreneurship – The Path to the Nation’s Progress.”
Entrepreneurship is more than just starting a business. It is about solving problems, creating opportunities, and making life better for others. In a country like India, where we have the largest number of young people, entrepreneurship is the key to unlocking our true potential.
Take the example of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the real-life hero behind the story A Phoenix Rises. He was a poor school dropout from a remote village. But he had a strong will and a big heart. When he saw that his wife and sister were using dirty cloth during menstruation because pads were too expensive, he did not stay silent. He took action. He experimented, failed, was mocked, lost everything—but he did not give up.
His invention of a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine changed the lives of millions of women and gave employment to thousands. This is what true entrepreneurship looks like — identifying a social problem, finding an affordable solution, and lifting others along the way.
Friends, India needs job creators, not just job seekers. We need people who can use their education, skills, and creativity to make a difference. Whether it’s in technology, health, agriculture, or education, there are problems waiting for young minds like ours to solve.
But remember, being an entrepreneur is not easy. It takes hard work, courage, and patience. It means being ready to fail and rise again—just like a phoenix. But when we succeed, our success becomes the success of our society and our nation.
In conclusion, I would say—if we want to build a strong, self-reliant, and compassionate India, entrepreneurship is the way forward. Let’s be brave. Let’s be creative. Let’s be the change.
Thank you.
3. Biographical Sketch: Arunachalam Muruganantham
- Early Life:
Born in Coimbatore to a poor weaver’s family. Dropped out of school, worked in a welding shop. - Turning Point:
Shocked by the cost and taboo around sanitary pads. Started experiments to make low-cost alternatives. - Challenges:
Faced social rejection. Family and villagers mocked and abandoned him. - Innovation:
Found pinewood pulp was the main material. Designed a machine to make cheap, hygienic pads. - Achievements:
Empowered thousands of rural women. Became a global speaker and role model.
Received Padma Shri in 2016. - Legacy:
A true social entrepreneur, who proved that one man can bring massive change.