Zindagi na milegi Dubara!

Then why are so many in a hurry to get rid of life?

Suicide has become a daily reality around us. It is no longer just a newspaper report about unknown faces—it is happening to people we know. Is it the indifference of our generation to the hurting around us that drives them to the brink?

“…the light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and how to say it…”
– Jawaharlal Nehru, announcing Mahatma Gandhi’s death

Anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide can echo these words. Even if the person was not well known to society, the loss is devastating to family and friends.

A study conducted by the Department of Community Health at Christian Medical College, Vellore, revealed a shocking reality: suicide accounts for half to three-quarters of all deaths among young women, and a quarter of deaths among young men in southern India.

South India is now referred to as the suicide capital of the region.

Warning Signs and Missed Signals

A few years ago, a girl ended her life by jumping off the roof of her school. Later it was found that she had spoken of death to her friends and even to a teacher that very day, but no one took her seriously.

According to U.S. government data, 70% of people who attempt suicide give some warning—either by words or behaviour. This means many lives can be saved if we are attentive.

In today’s world, where we spend more time with gadgets than with people, perhaps the greatest step forward is simply being present. Listening, noticing, and caring can save lives.

The Impact on Families

A young husband and father once took his own life, leaving behind a wife consumed with rejection, anger, and guilt. Suicide devastates families and friends, leaving them with unanswered questions, grief, and shame.

Many never understand why it happened. They are left with an avalanche of emotions—hurt, confusion, guilt, anger, remorse, and stigma.

Tragically, those who end their lives often believe nobody cares, or that others would be better off without them. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

We must never blame individuals or families for suicide. Instead, we should stand beside them with compassion, offering strength and support.

The Power of Attention and Relationships

“One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is the gift of attention.”
– Jim Rohn

Even with our best efforts, we may never eliminate suicide—it is a complex issue with many causes. But caring relationships that provide a safe haven can make a life-saving difference.

“The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials but the ones with the concern.”
– Max Lucado

In life skills workshops with teenagers, I found many struggled with suicidal thoughts. They felt unloved and ignored, even as their parents thought they were showing love by providing education and gadgets.

Life has become a rat race. Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and other platforms, we often make more time for people far away than those sitting beside us.

What Really Matters

Spouses, parents, and children often sit next to each other while texting someone else. We were created to enjoy life in its fullness, yet often replace genuine love and hope with shallow substitutes.

Is it materialism, broken values, or our obsession with achievement that drives so many to despair? Are we raising a generation with high IQs, low EQs, and no SQ (spiritual quotient)?

We send children to countless skill-building classes—math, swimming, skating—but are we helping them build life skills and relationship skills that sustain them when life gets tough?

We must rebuild the fabric of close relationships that offer hope in times of trouble.

“When you are in the final days of your life, what will you want?
Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame?
Will you sit in your car for comfort?
Will you reread your financial statement?
Of course not.
What will matter most then will be people.
If relationships will matter most then, shouldn’t they matter most now?”
– Max Lucado