'CHILDREN AT WORK'
By Lalit Nagpaul
Saturday 3 May - Saturday 17 May 2008
Arts Depot
Tally Ho Corner
North Finchley, London N12 0GA
Admission: Free, Open Daily 9.00am - 5.30pm
www.artsdepot.org.uk

A retired London Magistrate, Lalit Nagpaul, is to exhibit a unique collection of 34 Indian photographs of 'Children at Work' at the Arts Depot in North Finchley, London. The images and their captions are a social record and give a glimpse of the children's remarkable energy, courage and ability to keep cheerful despite the tremendous hardship they face each day. Most of the images show children of different backgrounds and circumstances with the majority working to augment their family income.

"These unfortunate kids miss out their normal growing-up as children and prematurely become breadwinners. They are often denied basic human rights as they have no representation" explained Mr Nagpaul."India has the largest number of working children in the world. No visitor to India can miss out the images photographed by me as these are all around wherever one travels in India."

"For the majority of the local population, these sights are of no significance or wonder as it is commonly accepted as a way of life and the result of one’s ‘Karma’. Ironically, the employers of this cheap labour feel that they are saving the poor from starving by giving them employment !"

Lalit Nagpaul's family have been sponsoring several children in the third world countries through 'Action Aid' for almost 25 years. They are regular supporters of 'Antislavery', NSPCC, Save the Children and many children’s charities in India for which they have set-up a Charitable Trust in New Delhi.

Lalit has extensively travelled across almost every continent and has taken thousands of photos but these images have deeply touched his heart and he feels the exhibition will stimulate interest in the plight of children in the poorer countries.

"To the socially and morally conscious minority, the state of affairs in India is not satisfactory. However, they too, have left it to the government to take action. On its part the Government has tackled the ‘problem’ by enacting laws to ban the employment of children in factories, mines and hazardous work places. However, it too, lacks the will to impose the laws universally as it would then be required to support the poor families by giving government handouts."

ABOUT LALIT NAGPAUL

Lalit Nagpaul is 71 years old, of Indian origin and has lived in Woodside Park, London, since 1971. He has recently retired from the magistracy after sitting on the bench at the Highgate Court for the past 18 years. Since coming to the UK from East Africa in 1968, he has been involved in all kinds of charitable and voluntary organisations.

He has been an advisor at the Citizens Advice Bureau in Finchley for 5 years and is a former President of Lions Club of Chipping Barnet. He is actively involved with the Hindu Cultural Society of North London and has served as Secretary, Trustee and committee member for the past 25 years.