Uma at Indian Writing provides a link to a rediff story about girl-children in Bihar.

Mintu Kumari, age 11, Class VI (in picture above):

I always wanted to go to school but my mother told me I had to go sweep leaves and gather them for building a fire for cooking at home. So everyday I had to go and collect dry leaves instead of going to school.

My brother — I don’t know his age — but he didn’t go to school either and works in a bangle factory. My father works as a labourer in Punjab. He has lost sight in one eye (starts crying). He came to see us last year, I don’t know when he will come again.

Also read the Hindi poems in translation that Uma has posted, including one by Baba Nagarjun that I’ve loved since I was a boy.