I first met Kamla Bhasin at the office of a women’s organisation in Delhi – Jagori or Sakhi, I cannot recall. What I remember is that it wa...
I first met Kamla Bhasin at the office of a women’s organisation in Delhi – Jagori or Sakhi, I cannot recall. What I remember is that it was a room full of feisty women, of all ages. Though the feistiest, loudest and the most joyous of them all, was Kamla. I was 18 and she was almost 25 years older than me. But she was simply Kamla to all.
Fresh out of college, doing street theatre, I truly believed that she was changing the world. And she was. Inspiring women to speak up, instilling a sense of purpose in her fellow activists and shaking the status quo around her with joy and an unwavering focus. That was the free-spirited Kamla and she didn’t change till her last breath on Saturday, September 25.
Today I am glad that the foundation of my social commitment was nurtured by Kamla, whose activism wasn’t angry or didactic. She taught me, and many others, that the world could be in a better place with poetry, stories, songs and laughter.
Over the years, our paths crossed every now and then, at morchas, rallies, meetings and gatherings. She formed Sangat, a feminist network and brought people together. She connected me with...
