The three books under review might not have much in common but what connects them is the belief in a better future. If Gita Balakrishnan’s is a memoir focusing on a walk for a cause, Harsh Mander’s work pushes the readers to introspect about the privilege they have and who pays the price for it; Indrajit Roy’s work is replete with examples of people who acknowledged their privilege, people who used their platform to resist the marginalization of others like Mander himself who declared that he would register himself as a Muslim and not submit his documents for the NRC, and people who despite their marginalization fought back, reclaiming slurs and forging solidarities in face of oppression. All three works seem to tell the reader that change is possible, be it one story at a time, one song at a time or one step at a time.
Change is Possible: One Story at a Time
Shimaila Mushtaq
1700 IN 70: A WALK FOR A CAUSE by By Gita Balakrishnan Rupa publications, 2024, 189 pp., 595.00
FATAL ACCIDENTS OF BIRTH: STORIES OF SUFFERING, OPPRESSION AND RESISTANCE by By Harsh Mander Speaking Tiger, 2024, 250 pp., INR 499.00
AUDACIOUS HOPE: AN ARCHIVE OF HOW DEMOCRACY IS BEING SAVED IN INDIA by By Indrajit Roy Westland Non-fiction, 2024, 248 pp., INR 599.00