I first set foot in India in 1985, visiting the city of Calcutta. I can still recall the thick, black smoke that hung over the city, the endless rows of bodies of people sleeping on the streets, dilapidated buildings and vehicles, and hawkers everywhere. I saw so many children, their tiny frames struggling to carry loads far too heavy for those so young. Yet in spite of the poverty all around us, we could see a vibrant, colorful, joyful society – proud of itself, struggling to survive, determined to make a better future.