GENRE: Voices

My grandfather was a freedom fighter who was jailed a couple of times during the independence movement. What I remember of him is an old tired man being taken care of by his daughters. He was one of the recipients of the Tamra Patra from the Government of India. I remember him freely sharing smiles and roses from the gardens with people passing by, to the extent that he came to be known as Rose Tatha. He could not find a single shop selling coffee the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. He vowed to give up coffee that day and…

As an Indian and a Goan, I get to celebrate two ‘Independence’ days. While India was liberated from the British in 1947, Goa was ruled by Portuguese till 1961. My grandparents speak about going to school during Portuguese rule. They studied Portuguese in school and spoke Konkani at home. They speak about how upper castes could easily make contacts with Portuguese officials and hence could access good quality higher education and hold high posts.  Most upper castes were ‘bhatkars’, both Hindu and Christian, who owned huge chunks of land all over and lived in palatial houses. They used the service of…

"Why did you pursue a master's degree in Chemistry, if you eventually wanted to become a journalist?" This is a constant inquiry when my educational background comes up in conversations. My response is to share the story of my career journey, independence and personal freedom. I hail from Pune where I was born and raised within a close-knit, supportive family. From a young age, I enjoyed the freedom to express myself and explore diverse ideas. Driven by curiosity and self-confidence, I always knew I could achieve more in life. However, throughout my school years, I didn't have a clear career…

On 12th July, I boarded the last train from Thane station to Koparkhairane, where I live. The train was scheduled to reach at about 12:30 am. I travel regularly by local train, but I still avoid catching the last train. However, the nature of my freelancing work makes it unavoidable sometimes. The train stopped between stations, just after Ghansoli station for almost 20 minutes. It was well past midnight. Only one more woman was travelling in the compartment along with her child.  We waited patiently for the first 10 minutes, but when we saw no signs of the train moving, the…

As a young person growing up in Delhi, access to urban green spaces has been a rare treat. However, one place that holds immense sentimental value for me, as for countless other Delhiites, is the city’s much-loved Deer Park in the Hauz Khas area. The Delhi Deer Park is not just a recreational spot, but a sanctuary of peace in the heart of the bustling city. But now, much to our dismay and disappointment, this mini zoo is set to close, as the Central Zoo Authority has cancelled its recognition. Nearly 600 deer living in the park shall now be…

He stays out till 11:00 pm working on his story. Once finished, he drives back home worrying only about the deadline. I, on the other hand, worry about getting home safe before worrying about that deadline. When I asked him if safety was not his prime concern, he shrugged nonchalantly. And it is not only about having to work late hours. Turns out he can visit any office, any official, any source, without much thought about safety, unless it is a crime story he’s reporting on. I wondered then, what extreme worlds he and I must be living in! As…

"My mother was a freedom fighter and so were her mother and her mother's mother." I read this quote by Aja Monet one day, and it made me wonder, "Do women ever achieve full freedom”? I came to Mumbai from my home in Raipur, Chattisgarh, after COVID to do a course in Media at a women’s college. It was strange for me that not many people even knew about the existence of Raipur. During my early days in Mumbai I had to explain to people that Raipur is the capital of Chhattisgarh and it is not in Jharkhand. A shift…

On August 6 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the renovation of 508 stations across the country including the Perambur railway station. As per reports Rs 17.86 crores has been allotted to renovate the second oldest Railway Station in Chennai. The proposed renovation will include the construction of new buildings which will accommodate ticket booking counters, a waiting hall, a VIP lounge, new toilets, retail vending units, cloakrooms, office spaces etc.  Additionally, provisions have been made to include lifts, escalators, restoration of the existing foot-over bridge, more benches, CCTV surveillance, water taps, solar power units, LED…

Chennai’s bus operator Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has a staggering 504 driver vacancies, 75 conductor vacancies and 246 technical positions unfilled as of May 2023, while the oldest bus in the fleet is an ancient 17.4 years, data obtained under the Right to Information Act shows. The MTC recently emerged shaken from prolonged litigation in the Madras High Court, as people with disabilities sought to assert their right to accessible buses under the law (Sec. 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the Harmonised Guidelines of the Union government), and wanted the bus corporation to procure…

Nearly 30 km away from Keezhadi, an archaeological excavation site in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, is a village called Alangulam. This was where my father was born and grew up for the most part of his life. This is the place I am supposed to call my 'native' home, though I have hardly ever visited the village. However, the patriarchal culture and customs of the place were very much part of our home, no matter where that was. The place that was once ruled by Rani Velu Nachiyar, the first queen to fight for freedom against the British…