Remember the charts you had as a child which were a pictorial representation of 'Types of fruits' and 'Kinds of flowers' labelled and divided into neat, small square boxes? You probably used them for scrapbooks or schoolwork.

Among these posters, however, was also a kind segment of them, teaching you how to be "the ideal child." Or in Hindi, as it was sometimes literally titled, "Adarsh Balak." As you grew up, they stopped being relevant and maybe hold only the sentiment of nostalgia now.

British comedian and author Stephen Fry just discovered one of these "Adarsh Balak" posters in his doctor's office, and it may just be what you need to jog up your memory.

Sharing a picture of the poster on Twitter, Fry wrote that he thought it was, "Decidedly odd" of his doctor to hang this in his surgery. However, being the sport he is, he "tied to live up to it."

"Haven't managed to "Pray Almighty" or "Join NCC", otherwise I'm getting there," he stated.

Decidedly odd of my doctor to hang this in his surgery. I've tried to live up to it though. Haven't managed to "Pray Almighty" or "Join NCC", otherwise I'm getting there. pic.twitter.com/Dl52jaqang

— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) January 19, 2019

Following him posting the picture, desi Twitter got all excited. How long was it that you saw one of these posters? Indians were convinced that the doctor had to be one of their 'own'.

Who is this desi doctor?

— Gauttam (@Shivadelic) January 19, 2019

Jesus Christ. I NEVER in a million years would have imagined you, Stephen, sharing an Āadarsh Bāalak chart. This is peak Indian school stationery we'd have to buy for primary school projects, etc. I'm so thrilled that your doctor would have it.😅😅😅
(feel better)

— Nicole (@nicolexavier111) January 19, 2019

is your doctor Indian, by any chance? This what they put up in class when I was a school and we had to buy it at stationery shops to cut out and stick in scrap books for "moral science"

— Alyssa G. Lobo (@filmibaby) January 19, 2019

Your doctor must be Indian .. 😂

— Ankit (@confusedankit) January 20, 2019

We had these charts in India when I was a girl. They now have nostalgia/kitsch value. Is your doctor Asian?

— Nayanika (@nayanikaaa) January 19, 2019

Fry even found out the one made for reproaching you - the 'Bad Habits' chart after one of his followers requested one.

I'm afraid to say that the closest I could find was this ... make of it what you will pic.twitter.com/m5Yc6uvg1T

— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) January 19, 2019

The publishing company that designs these posters, Indian Book Depot Map House, does have an actual "ideal girl" chart. Here's what she would look like. The advice is similar to that for boys, but notable additions include “help mother in the kitchen” and “learn stitching”.

The posters were also popularized in recent times by artist Priyesh Trivedi, who created memes of an 'unideal child,' title-ing them, "Adarsh Balak" drawn in the same style as Indian Book Depot Map.

We're still waiting for Fry to discover those.


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