Thursday, 10 September 2015

Interview with Aditi Sahu- By Nainika Gautam

Aditi is a PhD student working on Cancer biology in the research wing (ACTREC) of the prestigious Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. Apart from her curricular duties, she also likes to indulge herself in reading, writing, and dancing, which are her primary interests. Since childhood, she has won several awards in elocution, debate and recitation competitions. She is also a trained Kathak dancer. She sincerely believes in helping the underprivileged - animals or human beings. Therefore, recently, she had also co-founded a humanitarian society - The Benevolent Fools. Under this banner, she has undertaken several initiatives in and around Mumbai. From rescuing pets to teaching orphan children, from organizing musical programmes for terminally ill patients to collecting donations for needy organizations, their activity spectrum is wide and ever-expanding.

She has been writing a blog for about a year now. She has written poetry, movie review articles and general articles on varied issues. Her poems are typically a reflection of her emotion and sentiments; or are inspired by every day experiences in life. Also, her movie reviews have been published online by BeyondHeadlines.in. Her scientific writing experience is exemplified by the fact that she has published more than 10 scientific research articles in International peer-reviewed journals. Informally, she is often requested to perform editing and language corrections for several scientific manuscripts by many peers.

She can be contacted at:

To read her story in Crumpled Voices-2, order your copy here: Flipkart/Amazon

Here we get to know her more closely:

Nainika: Please tell us something about yourself.

Aditi: I am a budding researcher, author and dancer. When I am not passionately immersed in my science and experiments, I like to visit my artistic and literary side once in a while. Belief in humanity and God are still very much alive. Small acts of kindness, good food and puppies brighten my day. I strongly believe in the fact that charity begins at home. A small effort in that direction is co-founding a humanitarian society- The Benevolent Fools. Through this society, a spectrum of activities ranging from entertaining terminally ill patients to tutoring children at nearby orphanages, tending to sick animals are undertaken by us.


Nainika: How did your interest for writing develop?

Aditi: Scribbling once in a while in my secret diary inculcated the habit of writing very early on in life. And once this started, there was no looking back!


Nainika: Being into so many things, what do you enjoy the most?

Aditi: This feels like picking a favorite from one’s own children! Nevertheless, I will give it a try.

Dance used to be my favorite mode of expression since childhood. Happy or sad, dance- classical or contemporary would be the perfect way to let out these feelings. Of late, I think writing has become the preferred approach for voicing my emotions. Also because writing has a far greater reach, the dissemination of my thought process, comments and ideas is more plausible this way.


Nainika: How do you think your write-ups can bring a change to the world?

Aditi: My writings usually revolve around issues that touch my heart. This was one of the biggest motivations to contribute to this anthology which I deemed to be highly socially relevant. My other writings include those on feminism, gender equality and acts of benevolence. Through my writings, I hope to awaken the youth, as I firmly believe that their thoughts and actions will drive the growth of the society.


Nainika: How important is reading to a writer?

Aditi: Reading builds vocabulary, infuses new thoughts, stretches the realms of knowledge and helps give new dimensions to stale writing. So I would say, Very!


Nainika: Tell us something about your story, “The lost and found self respect” in Crumpled Voices-2.

Aditi: My story ‘The lost and found self-respect’ deals with the sensitive issue of child sexual abuse. How, because of the slightest mistrust and fallacy that we place on people around us, can lead to heinous crimes against innocent children. In fact, such crimes are prevalent in our society at disturbing rates. This story revolves around a new generation couple and their young daughter. It is the story of how a mother’s childhood events come haunting back to her when she realizes her own child is highly susceptible to acts of physical abuse, and she shares a very important part of the blame for this. This story courses through her traumatic revelation and realizations. It ultimately highlights the fact that proper actions against offenders, although late, may have the potential to make this world a slightly better place.


Nainika: Who all are the lead characters of your story?

Aditi: The lead characters in my story are Avantika-the paranoid mother, Varun- the ever understanding husband and Mithila-their adorable daughter. Another less explicit character is the ‘Shame’ prevailing in the senses of a child abuse victim.


Nainika: Are the characters of your story inspired from real life?

Aditi: As a matter of fact, they are!


Nainika: How was experience with Gargi Publishers?

Aditi: I have worked with four different publishing houses for the first time this year, and to be honest, my experience with Gargi publishers has been the most satisfying! From editing to interactions to the quality of the book, all aspects make this experience a memorable one!


Nainika: What would be your message for our dear readers?

Aditi: My message for my readers would be repeating what my lead character in the story wanted to convey. It is, to be aware of the prevailing societal evils and never be a silent sufferer of an assault. Your voice may help prevent someone else from meeting the same fate. Place your trust in surrounding people only after careful deliberation. Believe in yourself and have the courage to bring the wrongdoers to justice. It is only then we can contribute to a safe and healthy tomorrow for our future generations.

(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)

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