Healthcare Heroes: Uma Shree Janani, mental health counsellor

Photo and text submitted by Uma Shree Janani "Uma Shree Janani started her journey of helping women around her by spreading positive words about mental health in social media. Her major focus is on importance of self- care and empowering both men and women with better awareness on mental health. As a mother herself, she... Continue Reading →

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Healthcare Heroes: A New Call for Photo-Narratives

As the world copes with the COVID-19 pandemic and watches with awe as the health-care community goes about its work, we at the Prajnya Archives invite you to celebrate the doctors, nurses and other caregivers and healers you know. Email your photos-with-narratives to [email protected] for inclusion in this special collection. Write "Healthcare Heroes" in the subject... Continue Reading →

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Women of Words: New Call for Photo-Narratives

The Prajnya Archives invite you to a visual celebration of the ideas, creativity and voices of women WOMEN OF WORDS August 1-October 15, 2019 Are there women in your family or your circle of friends to whom writing comes naturally and who express themselves most freely through the written word?  Send us photos with stories... Continue Reading →

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Remembering Kalpana Mehta (feminist activist and co-founder of Saheli Women’s Resource Centre): “Writing about Kalpana, writing about the times”

Written by Ranjana Padhi and Laxmi Murthy, who have been associated with the autonomous women’s movement since the mid-1980s and were active in Saheli from around 1986-2006. Posted on August 9, the day Saheli was founded in 1981. There is no cure against mortality, yet there is a lingering sadness and a sense of loss... Continue Reading →

Ritika Bajaj’s journey with words

Ritika Bajaj always knew her life would revolve around the written word. Her journey with language began when she graduated in English Literature from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and later pursued a masters in English Literature from SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai. In 2002, she started her career as a feature writer in a lifestyle publication... Continue Reading →

Dr. Srividya Sivakumar, Coimbatore-based poet & teacher

This is a story about Dr. Srividya Sivakumar, Coimbatore-based poet & teacher, who has two collections of poetry to her name, The Heart is an Attic (2018, Hawakal Publishers) & The Blue Note (2012, Writers Workshop). This is also the story of my oldest and dearest friend of 30+ years. Our friendship began in words... Continue Reading →

V. Radha, writer in Tamil

"Radha is a fond writer of Tamil language. She loves writing poems and essays on various topics such as Social causes, Political affairs, Devotion, Personal emotions, Nature and so on. Her Tamil language resembles that of Sangam literature Tamil. She posts her works on her Facebook wall." Example of her writing: " அண்டபிண்டத்தின் மறைபொருள்..உண்மையொன்று உறங்குதடாஉள்ளமதைத் தேடுதடாஉள்ளதென்று... Continue Reading →

Pushpa, citizen next door

Pushpa is a widow, aged about 35, engaged in vegetable trade with a self-help group loan, in Natham village, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu When Pushpa lost her husband unexpectedly in an accident, she approached the Raja Rajeswari women self-help group in Natham village through IFDE field coordinator, D. Jayalakshmi for advice and help. Out of... Continue Reading →

Sandhya Swamy (IPS), citizen next door

A young and dynamic IPS Officer, freshly inducted into the Indian Police Service, Sandhya has shone through her tireless endeavours directed towards getting into the bureaucracy to serve the society. During her struggling years, she not only set exemplary standards of hard work and enrichment of self but also showed empathy and compassion for the... Continue Reading →

Rinku Mecheri, citizen next door

Rinku Mecheri is the founder of Chennai Volunteers, a social initiative that fosters civic engagement and ensure that volunteers can engage with non-profits in a sustainable and meaningful way .  A dynamic web portal, CV partners with over 140 NGOs and institutions across our city today and work towards making our civic society more inclusive.  An alumnus... Continue Reading →

Ritika Arora, citizen next door

A young software developer, who exudes compassion for the society and is doing her own bit towards community building by taking up the responsibility of educating her maid’s daughter. She not only teaches the child for free but also participates whole-heartedly in helping the little one excel in extra-curricular activities. She deserves recognition and remembrance... Continue Reading →

J. Mallika, citizen next door

J. Mallika of Manajcheri village, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, aged about 40, who started selling saris 10 years ago, has developed her trade, also rendering voluntary guidance and counselling services to people. Mallika received a loan of Rs.10,000 from Indira Gandhi Self Help Group, Amman Koil Street, Manajcheri village, which was functioning for 12 years.... Continue Reading →

Vimla Kaul, citizen next door

Guldasta lets children bloom so that their future blossoms Established in 1995, Guldasta owes its existence to the sheer tenacity of Vimla Kaul and her husband late Prof Hari Mohan Kaul. An engineering graduate from BITS, Pilani, Prof Kaul served as Chief Engineer in the Government-run Central Ground Water Board but took voluntary retirement and... Continue Reading →

Anjalai Amma of the Freedom Generation

  "My grandmother, Anjalai Amma was in jail for more than four and half years.She gave birth to her last son in the jail itself . My grand father Murugappa and my maternal aunt Leelavathy and her husband Jamadhagni were also freedom fighters.Her biography is included in viii std Tamil text book[second semester book]." Courtesy:... Continue Reading →

Leela Diraviam of the Freedom Generation

Leela Diraviam participated as a freedom fighter in underground work; passing messages and attending meetings shrouded in secrecy. She describes herself as a Gandhian. She said, “On that day, there was no TV. We heard the speech in parliament, that India awakes to life and freedom (sic). As soon as he (Nehru) said that India... Continue Reading →

We Make It happen: Srikala Ganapathy on running ‘Vedika 2 Empower’

"In 2010, as a Teacher and a Research scholar , I had a burning desire within me to reach beyond my family and reach community . I just brainstormed this idea with my two friends, Deepa and Lalitha. My friends expressed same passion and support and joined my hands in this journey. The discussions gave... Continue Reading →

‘We Make It Happen’: Swapna Kona Nayudu’s story

Swapna Kona Nayudu Job Title: Scholar of Peace Academic Fellow, Women in Security and Conflict Management Practices (WISCOMP), New Delhi, India. Field of Work: Kabul, Afghanistan. Dates: March, 2008. In 2008, I was awarded the Scholar of Peace academic fellowship by WISCOMP. The project was to study the representation of gender in the lower house... Continue Reading →

Malathi Jaikumar (nee Sundaram), B.A. English Literature, Loretto College, Calcutta, 1963

"My name is Malathi Jaikumar nee Sundaram. I graduated in English Literature - BA Hons from Loretto College, Calcutta in the year 1963. I was the first woman graduate on my mother's as well as my father's side of the family. Writing has always been my passion and I have been writing as far back... Continue Reading →

Malati Manohar Harshey, L.L.B. Jabalpur University, 1966

"My mother, Malati Manohar Harshey (1920-2003) The first woman graduate in our family, she was also graceful, wise and widely beloved. A self-made lady who stood out in her time and set an example for all the women in the family. Mummy was a firstborn child raised to an intellectual but submissive youth in the small town... Continue Reading →

P.R. Saraswathi, B.Com, Delhi University, 1973

"A few words on my mother: My mother completed her Diploma in Commercial Practice at Adyar Polytechnic Chennai and went on to complete her Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University by correspondence in 1973. All through her lifetime till day, she has perfectly managed to balance her relationship and career in the best way possible.... Continue Reading →

Dr. Gudipati Lalitha, B.Sc, Andhra University, 1961

  Dr. Lalitha on her graduation day (1961) Receiving the Best Teacher Award  (being presented by the then CM of Andhra Pradesh N. Janardhan Reddy), 1988. Her social activities: contribution for a water storage tank at a village in 2003 Singing at a concert (her passion), Tirupathi, 2004 "Dr. Gudipati Lalitha is the First Graduate... Continue Reading →

Sofia Cordeiro Monteiro, B.A. St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, 1941

(Photo taken in 1940) "The First Woman Graduate in My Family My mother, Sofia Cordeiro Monteiro, was the first woman graduate in her family. Born in 1919, she lived in Goa (then a colony of Portugal), where there were no facilities for University education. She was a brilliant student, finishing her SSC with distinction in... Continue Reading →

S. Subhalakshmi, M.A. Presidency College, Chennai, 1951

"The first woman graduate in the extended family is my maternal aunt, Subhalakshmi, 84 years old, living in Chennai, who holds a Masters degree in Economics. She passed out of Presidency College, Madras in the year 1951 and was ranked second in the University of Madras. She is currently a writer who writes in English... Continue Reading →

Choodamani Raghavan, B.A, Madras University, 1959

"I am Choodamani Raghavan and am the first woman graduate from a well known family of Chennai.I graduated in 1959 from Queen Marys College, Madras University in BA Economics . I am the grand daughter of K.S Krishnaswamy Iyengar a famous lawyer and High Court judge and daughter of K.S Vijayaraghavan Chief general manager SBI... Continue Reading →

N. Anjana (Anjana Vedapuri), B.A, Ethiraj College, Chennai, 1970

Photo taken in 1972 "To the best of our knowledge, my mother, Anjana Vedapuri, is the first female graduate in her family. N.Anjana (as she was called then) finished her graduation in English Literature from Ethiraj College, Chennai in 1970. While her family could be called conservative in some ways, they were also highly supportive... Continue Reading →

T Saraswathy Amma, B.A and B.Ed, Calicut University, 1954

name of the graduate- Late T Saraswathy Amma, the college and/or university- Sree Kerala Varma College, Kerala major and degree- BA Malayalam, B.Ed( Calicut University, Kerala) the year of graduation- 1954 approximate year the photo was taken - 2007 "Late Saraswathy Amma, my maternal grandmother, the protagonist of this write up is the first woman... Continue Reading →

Seenath Rohaiya, M.A, Sri Parasakthi Women’s College, Courtallam, 1970s

  "IT’S MY LIFE! Forty five years ago, wearing the black gown, tightly holding the degree in hand a girl comes out of the Madurai Kamaraj University’s Convocation Hall. Her poor old father seeing with teary eyes brimming with love & immense pride hugs her and kisses her forehead. The moisture of that kiss felt... Continue Reading →

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