Chennai, February 2026
A powerful new book that confronts the uncomfortable realities faced by vulnerable children within India’s social and legal systems was launched in Chennai on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Madras Management Association.
Titled Help! Can You Hear Us? – Navigating Societal Fault Lines with Children, the book is authored by Vidya Shankar Chakravarthy, a veteran child rights advocate and founder of Relief Foundation.
The book launch was followed by a fireside discussion between the Author, the Chief Guest, Dr. S. Muralidhar, Senior Advocate and former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, and moderated by Biographer, Vasanti Sundaram. The discussion was followed by audience interaction.
Drawing from over three decades of work with children in conflict with the law and those in need of care and protection, Help! Can You Hear Us? brings together deeply personal, first-hand accounts of children whose lives have slipped through the cracks of society and institutions. Narrated to biographer Vasanti Sundaram, the book moves beyond statistics and policy debates to reveal the human cost of systemic failure — and the urgent need for empathy-driven reform.
The book is rooted in the author’s experiences within the Juvenile Justice system, including her time working with government juvenile homes, courts, and child welfare mechanisms in Tamil Nadu. Through stories of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and occasional redemption, the book urges readers to re-examine how society views childhood, justice, and responsibility.
Speaking on the occasion, author Vidya Shankar Chakravarthy said:
“This book is not an indictment of individuals, but a question to all of us — as citizens, professionals, and human beings. The children I write about were not asking for sympathy; they were asking to be seen, heard, and protected. Help! Can You Hear Us? is their voice, carried forward.”
Highlighting the relevance of the book in today’s context, Dr. S. Muralidhar, Chief Guest for the evening, said:
“For a caring mind that is curious to find an answer to that question, Vidya’s book is a must-read. This book emphasises the value of listening, attentively and with empathy, to the voices of the young in distress. It also reminds us that if we are prepared to learn from the errors of the past, and act proactively to better the lives of today’s children, there is hope for tomorrow’s children”.
The evening sparked dialogue among legal professionals, educators, social workers, policy influencers, and concerned citizens.
At a time when conversations around child safety, justice, and care often remain confined to reports and hearings, Help! Can You Hear Us? stands out as a timely and necessary call to listen — and to act.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026
Time: 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm
Venue: Madras Management Association, Chennai
