‘The victim could be anyone’ - The Hindu

‘The victim could be anyone’ - The Hindu

FEHMIDA ZAKEER

Debalina Haldar talks about her debut novel, based on a traumatic personal experience.

Debalina Haldar has been writing poems and short stories since she was in Std. II. She transitioned into an author during the last year of her engineering course. But her book, The Female Ward, is not a chronicle of the happenings in yet another professional college. Rather, the focus is on ragging.

“I had to face it as a student,” she says, “and I know how demeaning it can be. And I also got to know the other face of ragging when a fake suicide attempt by a junior, and dirty politics at the college administration level got me arrested and sent to a correctional home.”

She saw the deplorable conditions under which poor women lodged in the home were living. “This was an India I didn’t know about, and now that I have seen it, and for a short while lived it, I realised that until rich India cared enough to tackle illiteracy and poverty it would never be able to call itself a developed nation.” Excerpts from an interview.

What prompted you to write this novel?

I have always loved the idea of having my novel published. I’ve had multiples ideas running in my head for quite some time now. I was also determined to highlight social issues associated with women but didn’t know the right way to start, couldn’t find the perfect plot.

Then this thing happened in my life. I don’t like to refer to that episode as something bad or negative. Rather, I’d say it was an opportunity that paved the way to meet so many women from diverse backgrounds. I got close to them and learned a lot about so many things.

Did writing help you overcome your own traumatic experience?

Writing has always helped me come out of depression. It is the best pain-killer and anti-depressant. Writing this book gave me my confidence back.

Usually, stories about ragging are from the viewpoint of the victim. Your book takes another perspective.

This book does blame the perpetuators of ragging in the first few chapters where Dishari, the protagonist, is abused, rebuked and often left alone to cry. The novel also looks at ragging as a very handy tool in the hands of students — something that can be used to settle scores with so-called perpetuators. A fake suicide attempt, combined with a ragging complaint, is enough to finish the careers of students. Whether it is tormenting a new student or slapping a ragging complaint against a senior, both can’t be justified. I’d say that the victim could be anyone.

How long did it take for you to complete this novel?

Six months during the final year of my college. I was totally determined and focused and words started flowing like, my editor used to say, a runaway horse. Editing was a truly enriching experience. My editor is Rebecca Lloyd, an award-winning author and a novelist herself. She taught me the little intricacies of fiction writing. It was fun but rigorous at the same time.

How easy or difficult was it to find a publisher?

Being a debut writer, I didn’t have too many options. I was rejected by a few publishers before Thames River Press, U.K., accepted my work.

How long have you been writing? What are you working on now?

I’ve been writing since I was in Std. II. I always loved writing about social issues. My short story, ‘By-lane Dreamers’, won the Critics’ Choice Award in Illuminati 2011. This was my first big achievement. My next work is an anthology of short stories. I am also doing my MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow.

What has been your friends’ and family’s response to your writing?

My parents and sisters have always encouraged me in everything that I’ve done. I have wonderful friends who make my life meaningful. My mother is the pillar behind my every success. She says that she always knew that I’d be a writer! I was disorganised as a child. My writings would’ve been lost had my mother not kept them safe.

Exchange Students at IIM Lucknow

As everything gets globalized and global events give a formation to our future, top management schools from across the world want a slice of experience at IIM Lucknow. Student Exchange Programmes open up the opportunity to enjoy life inside the gates of the beautiful campus. The students of IIM L play host to those from Italy, Switzerland, Ireland and other countries across the world.

Different culture, tradition, language, attitude and similar things often make us feel uncomfortable. But surprisingly, Fabian from Copenhagen Business School has something totally different to say. “I was absolutely excited about coming to India. I always wanted to find out what it meant to be a part of such a rich culture.” He hails from Switzerland and loves the food in the mess. “The students of IIM Lucknow are so friendly, the campus is beautiful, I’m loving it. It’s altogether a great experience.”

Recently, the exchange students participated in the fashion show and other events in Varchasva, the annual sports and cultural fest of IIM Lucknow. It is not easy to live in a place where everyone is so different. Hence, the students of IIM Lucknow step forward as guides and buddies to their new friends and thus builds a healthy, invaluable and timeless relationship between them. “My buddies have taught me small phrases in Hindi like ‘Aapko Kya Chahiye’ (laughs),” said Daniele from Bocconi University. Daniele goes on to say, “I enjoy going to the gym and the swimming pool every day. It’s a great place to be.”

On what he did not like inside campus, Matteo from Copenhagen Business School said, “I don’t understand if it is good or bad. But things are different over here… the food, the culture, the people. And I’m cherishing the difference as much as I can during my stay here.”

The Exchange students involve themselves in scores of activities inside campus. On the festival of Diwali the exchange students decorate hostels with lights and colours. It is always a great sight to find exchange students in Indian ethnic wears. It is a symbiotic process of learning, enjoyment and fun between the exchange students and the students of IIM Lucknow… the only time in the year which gives a feeling of living inside a white globe with all those imaginary boundaries removed. Inside the gates of IIM Lucknow, these students smile… they laugh, they participate, they learn, they cherish, they carry home an awesome experience with amazing memories.

Art attack: Inspiring story of the painter from IIM Lucknow

We all have been passionate about our crayons, brushes and sketch pens at some point of time in our childhood. Mohini Patil, a PGP first year student of IIM Lucknow (IIM-L), continues to have her box of colours with her, inside campus. She enjoys trying out different art forms and specifically loves sand animation and encaustic painting.

Her art collection seems like a product of artistic usage of crayons or colours or anything else, but definitely not what she reveals. "Encaustic is a rare and an amazing art," she says. "It means mixing multiple colours. And I use crayons, melt them and paint with an iron." Mohini has been practicing encaustic art for six years.

Such art forms are rare and are getting rarer every day. On the reason behind art moving away from the masses in general, she says, "The lack of awareness is creating this void. Interest should be there along with it, as well. This fact has always bothered me. I've learnt art forms from YouTube videos with no expert training and I know that it is difficult. But then, where there is a will there is always a way."

Her biggest achievement is the Mumbai National Art Exhibition that featured four of her masterpiece creations in 2011. She recalls, "It was the moment when my dreams since childhood came true. I can still feel goose bumps when I remember the evening."

Mohini says that she would soon start a website that would have online sessions on craft making, sand animation and oil painting amongst many others in different levels. As of now, she sits with her canvas, iron and crayons whenever she feels tired of studying. "It basically acts as a refresher, an energy booster. After few strokes on the canvas, I suddenly feel so complete."

Is art dying out of today's youth? If it is, how do we retrieve it? Explains Mohini, "If someone has a little idea about an art form, one should research it out. The thirst for knowledge and the eagerness to learn will never let one stop before any barrier." 

Mohini wants to keep this amazing hobby going along with her academics in IIM-L. She realises the fact that finding out time for painting after classes and assignments would be difficult but she says, "Even if someday I get busy and leave art work, art will never leave me." You go, girl!

Devanshu Kakkar mentors under privileged children

Not many of us would remember the last child we snubbed at, who appeared at the window, when our cars were stuck at a traffic jam. Where we do not even sit back to think what compels them to come out in the streets, at times, in extreme weather conditions, Devanshu Kakkar, a first year PGP student of IIM Lucknow, shares his insight.

Ever looked at the eyes of those children and orphans who stare at the school going kids, holding the fingers of their parents? Wouldn't most of them wish to go to school, or to be at least under the care and guidance of someone? These questions chased Devanshu since his days in school when the kids in their once green, blue, grey clothes-turned-rags would stare at him. What started off as a question, took the form of an endeavour to make a difference to the lives of these small ones, to give them hope and support to live their dreams. Devanshu, beyond the red bricks of IIM Lucknow, is now an active member of the Rotaract Club.

"Graduation and academics were no pressure for me. People join clubs and committees. I just wanted to explore my ideas," he says. Our country has 2,500 Rotaract Clubs and the members are the youth. They run schools and conduct classes for students from diverse backgrounds and are achievers in their own domains. "One of my student was a national level karate player; another was an actor in a theatre. They cross hurdles and difficulties every day. Stories of their achievements and wit can run for pages," he recalls.

The club also encourages promotion of culture and values that are specific to the state it functions in. The children love festivals and their joy knows no bound when they celebrate Diwali, Children's Day and many more. Today we all are running rat-races. Most of us are aware of our social responsibilities. But we complain about lack of time. Says Devanshu, "Multitasking has always been a challenge. I had CAT on 3rd November. My students had their pre-board exams in the same month. So, could I take a break for my own studies in October? No. I accept them as a part of my own reality."

On the possibility that these students might step on the other side of the red bricks, Devanshu says, "I recently got a call from my student who I was mentoring. He wanted guidance to proceed from Class X to engineering. This happened after I told them about JEE, which was oblivious to them before. Most of them come from slums but you give them something to aspire for, they will achieve them."

"I would suggest others to keep their motivation going, irrespective of how the other factors affect you", he says, about the young crowd of people who aspire to create an impact through an initiative like his. "This is a success for me. Even if it has helped only one child, I would be glad, since my help would touch a generation. I would love to carry on my work with the Rotaract club in Lucknow. I have plans."

Devanshu is a perfect epitome of all those who want to follow their dreams in life.