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Showing posts with the label Social Justice

A Voice for Indian Women

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Social activism and speaking out for the voiceless runs prominently in her family, so it is not surprising that Ratna Vira would follow along those very same lines. The beginnings of the blueprint for her novel seem to have been drawn up in her childhood. Ratna Vira is the daughter of journalist Nalini Singh, who is best known for her programme 'Aankhon Dekhi'; she is the niece of Arun Shourie, one of India’s most renowned journalists; and the granddaughter of Hari Dev Shourie, well-known for his consumer activism. Ergo,  Daughter by Court Order , published by Fingerprint, is a novel that attacks the hypocritical idea of family izzat (honour) that runs rampant in our country, talks about mother-daughter relations and stresses on the question of identity. Ms. Vira describes herself as, ‘…a soft spoken and enigmatic woman with many facets. A contemporary woman who juggles a successful corporate career with her writing and love of art; weaves stories with her words and her paint

Unholy Attitudes

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Documentary filmmaking is a tremendous social vehicle. It can generate the necessary impact when wielded by capable, intellectual minds that cannot abide with injustice. Anand Patwardhan has achieved the esteemed status of being India’s premier documentary filmmaker, making the medium a bulwark of social justice and questioning motives behind certain political agenda. Despite constantly being up at arms with the Indian Censor Board and the Indian Government, the filmmaker has established an unshakeable foundation of social activism via documentaries. Having been an activist since his student days, Patwardhan selected filmmaking as his choice of weapon against the maelstrom of social and political injustice this country has witnessed. He has participated in the anti-Vietnam War movement and upheld the cause for democracy  and civil liberties during the course of the 1975-77 Emergency and after it. These are but two examples cited. He is a man who is driven to make a difference. Prior to

Striking Out at Corruption (Social Justice)

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Corruption is at an all-time high in India with no respite in sight. Every day the newspapers carry depressing stories about the way justice is subverted. This is not to say that we do not have people who are willing to take a stand against this gross perversion of ethics. In Goa, a small group has come together to make the effort to bring about a change. They call themselves Generation Next. A small group of individuals have come together under the presidency of Durgadas Kamat, who is the state secretary and chairman of the Information and Technology Cell of the Indian National Congress in Goa. The executive members are Chander Mohan Bhatia, Raymond Pereira, Yemane D’Souza, Angela Naik and Felix Goes. There is a host of young members who are geared up to carry on this crusade against corruption to the next generation. The group has no political affiliations but uses its connections to see that justice is meted out albeit on a small scale. There have been other groups that have been fo