​The Midnight Call

Reading the news of crime over his morning tea, Amit’s heart sank with disgust—“The country is going to the dogs!”

​A despondent Amit left for work. On the way, he saw an ordinary man named Anand save a passerby from the attack of some robbers, even he himself got wounded. Astonished, Amit asked, “Why did you endure a personal loss without any gain?”

​Anand smiled and spoke—

​“Years ago, in the dead of night, I received a call from an unknown girl. In a panicked voice, she said, ‘Hello Raghu!’ I replied, ‘Wrong number, I am not Raghu!’ But drowned in desperation, she cried, ‘No, you are my brother Raghu.’ Irritated, I hung up. The next day, the news reported a gruesome crime against a girl, and the timing matched that call perfectly.”

​Anand’s voice choked, “Consumed by remorse, I searched endlessly for that unknown girl. I didn’t find her, but gradually, my search ended at an eternal truth—I realized that girl was not just one face, but every victim in society. The same single consciousness resides in every human being. Since then, wherever and however I can, I offer selfless help.”

​Amit stood stunned. Today, in Anand, he had witnessed the India of his dreams. He understood that while dismal news streams from one side, at that very moment, a sprout of hope like Anand blooms from the immortal seed of Indian culture.

​#IndependenceWritingContest2026