Ep. 25 Challenging patriarchy through children's stories: An interview with the late Kamla Bhasin.

!Trigger Warning! This episode contains mentions of child sexual abuse between 25:18-25:39.

This 25th episode of CCYSC Awaaz is a tribute to the fearless activism and extraordinary life of Kamla Bhasin, poet, story teller, feminist, activist, and a pioneer in many endeavours. The interview follows Simran, a student pursuing her masters degree in education at Ambedkar University Delhi, in conversation with Kamla Bhasin as they discuss her journey towards writing, her books, what goes into the process of writing them, their significance and the impact of patriarchy on young children. 

Kamla Bhasin was an eminent South-Asian feminist activist, poet and author. She was the founder and advisor to Sangat - A Feminist Network and she was also the South Asia coordinator of the One Billion Rising movement. She has authored multiple books including the popular children's book Satrangi Ladke aur Ladkiya, that celebrates the diversity and individuality of boys and girls, Laughing Matters, Feminism & Its Relevance in South Asia, Borders & Boundaries: Women in India's Partition, Understanding Gender, What Is Patriarchy etc. Several books and booklets on understanding patriarchy and gender which she authored have been translated into nearly 30 languages and are read all across the world.

Simran Varma is a writer and editor, who specializes in the field of education and history. She recently finished editing her first book, Crowdfunding: The Story of People. Prior to this, she has worked as a Gandhi Fellow in Mumbai - providing support to municipal school stakeholders. In her free time, she writes about gender and politics.

Edited by Veda Gopala (student, School of Education Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi)

Music:  Little Idea by Scott Holmes (scottholmesmusic.com) / CC BY-NC

Photograph: Bhupendra Rana, Kamla Bhasin, 2020, colour photograph, for article by Mittra Prerna. (2020, 21st May). ‘No two boys or girls are alike’: Kamla Bhasin on her books Satrangi Ladke and Satrangi Ladkiyan. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/learning/gender-no-two-boys-girls-are-alike-author-kamla-bhasin-satrangi-ladke-and-satrangi-ladkiyan-6420312/ (accessed on 10/10/2021)