Raima had turned 24 yesterday, and she had had the biggest party ever. She had called all her friends from college and all the families who lived nearby.
The food was smashing and the music ethereal.
The guests she was sure would have been stumped and stunned (had they turned up)
I met the true meaning of “Kul ka Deepak” in person at Baridih – he is an amazing 23 yr old boy – who barely got 60% in his Matric exams – from Chandil (near Jamshedpur) and then saw an “end of the road” in his life with no money to support an education and not enough marks to get a scholarship…
BUT the Gods saw in him – a promise to build the lives of many many more like him (remember 78% of the entire Indian Population is defined as “Bottom of the Pyramid”)
And the Science in his SOUL won! It won the battle of marks and money – and got him to be an amazing “Grassroot Innovator”
Almost 80% of India resides in its villages and a very large portion of that very population is suffering from mass scale “under-employment” or “under-utilization”. Where men and women are doing the same amount of work which should have been done by 1/10th of their actual numbers. Ie…. 10 people are doing what should have been done by 1 person!
Right Skilling in the RURAL Segment is the need of the Hour…
We traditionally discuss agriculture in villages and agriculture products – so WHY don’t we ideate into some NEW segments?
Continue reading Right Skilling in the RURAL Segment – need of the Hour…
“Mere papa feminist hain…” – this is a heartfelt comment made by this gaggle of girls – more as a sense of wonderment than proclamation…
Happy to have interacted with 50 rural and semi – urban girls – of the age group of 10 to 13 yrs in the Ranchi District area.
Our discussion point veered right from what adolescence is to what feminism is – and why is there “so much halla against feminism”
And then the shining moment on how men can be feminists – and then the “Mere papa feminist hain…” moment!
This is a dedication to all girls who have feminist Dads and all Dads who aspire to be feminists – I am sharing ALL that was shared with me today:
I had the most awful moment of awkward silence a few months back, a woman whom I had been speaking to and counselling about her career and job – just blurted – “I was raped…”
This is a 23 year old woman who has been struggling to hold down 1 job and juggle a possible degree! She has always had this haunted and almost vacant look about her – which I could never explain!
The discussion that day was me scolding her for not taking her life seriously – and I was actually reprimanding her – when she had been bunking her evening classes….
And she said the “R” word – and that lead me to the discovery that I lacked the vocabulary to speak to her!
So WHAT should you say/not say or do/not do when someone close to you or someone comes up and says “I was raped….”
A woman in PAIN! Continue reading What do YOU say to someone who has been raped….
In your 30s and you suddenly realize that sanitary napkins are taxed – you go OMG!
And then OMG some more – since you have been paying these taxes for the last decade and a half….!!!!
And then OMG loads – as in India where women desperately NEED sanitary conditions during their menstruation cycle – we are taxing it and making it expensive!!!!
Wow…. what AMAZING Logic?
Men and Women BOTH always question if a woman ACTUALLY being Sexually Harassed , or did she misunderstand? Or it wasn’t meant to be? Or she was over-reacting?
Then the uglier spectrum of – oh she was just “asking for it”, – look at the way she dresses, look at the way she drinks at office parties, look at the way she stays back late to work, look at the way she always works in men only teams…
So De-Coding ACTUAL Sexual Harassment in 10 quick steps:
Dear Uncle, Bhaiya, Jiju, Chacha, Friend, BF, Unknown male,
Lets all Play Holi CONSENT Waali…
Lets ALL ensure that YOU do not have to ever say “Bura Na Maano Holi Hai….” – this at MOST times simply translates to “Don’t get offended for me BAD/lecherous behavior – after all its Holi”
And ALL you have to do is watch out for the signs of NO – Consent…. and NOT do those actions….
Today a Leading Woman Politician LOST the elections – and she decided to blame faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the annihilation of her party!
I am just highlighting what annoyed me most about her accusations – being an Indian and a woman:
Jharkhand mein “Bachcha Bikta Hai”!
Child Trafficking is an evil reality which the States of Jharkhand, Assam, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha are grappling with. Lets try to do a quick review of the WHYS of this menace…
There shall be a Series 2 – for the HOWs of child trafficking…coming up!
