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Cases of Harassment Witnessed in DU over the Past Decade

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The University of Delhi has witnessed innumerable harassment cases in recent times, despite a greater sense of awareness. Here is a look at the unfortunate number of such incidents to shed light and much-needed awareness on the same.

Women across the world bear everyday harassment, catcalling, and heinous crimes. However, one would assume that women are relatively safer in a campus space like the University of Delhi (DU). Unfortunately, innumerable harassment and assault cases have taken place in this renowned institution. According to a Gender Study Group report of DU in 1996, “Nearly 38.1% of the women student respondents (hostellers and non-hostellers) have experienced harassment in the form of leaching, commenting, and molestation.” These numbers reflect how commonplace everyday harassment of women is.

1) Kawalpreet Kaur harassed at Satyawati College: Kawalpreet Kaur, a student activist from All India Students Association (AISA), accused of being manhandled and silenced while being present at Satyawati College for a panel discussion on women’s safety. The accused were believed to belong to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

2) Professor harassed student at Daulat Ram College: A first-year student from Daulat Ram College accused a professor of the Political Science Department of harassing her. He was believed to have made multiple inappropriate remarks on the appearance of the student, along with making several advances to meet outside the college premises. The incident came to light when the student filed an First Information Report (FIR), following which protests broke out in the college.

3) List of sexual predators in Indian academia: Raya Sarkar, a law student, compiled a list of sexual predators in Indian Universities. She claimed to have put-together the list with inputs directly from the students themselves. The list generated intense debate on social media. Some accused it of being ineffective and baseless while others hailed it as a revolutionary idea that gave an agency to the voices of victims.

4) Sexual harassment at Ramjas College: In 2007, the Vice-President of Ramjas College, B.N. Ray, was accused of sexual harassment by male students from the college. The victims, all of whom hailed from the North-East, banded together to speak out against him. It was in 2017, approximately a decade later, that a subcommittee of the College Complaints Committee (CCC), set by the directions of the High Court, found him guilty. It is alleged that Mr. Ray continued to be on the college payroll until retirement in 2015, even though he was not allowed to step into college.

5) Priyadarshini Mattoo’s Murder: On 23rd January 1996, Priyadarshini Mattoo, a final year student of University of Delhi’s Law Centre was murdered by Santosh Kumar Singh, a graduate of the Law Centre. The accused had sexually and mentally harassed the deceased on multiple occasions following which she was provided police protection, but the accused killed her in her home with 19 injuries on her body and attempted rape.

6) Pavitra Bharadwaj suicide case: On 30th September 2013, Pavitra Bhardwaj of Bhim Rao Ambedkar College immolated herself in front of the Delhi Secretariat. She later succumbed to her injuries on 7th October. She had accused then Principal, G.K. Arora, and another colleague, Ravinder Singh, of sexual and mental harassment in her suicide note. After multiple protests by the Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA), the principal was suspended. However, his suspension was later revoked; an action which generated an outcry.

7) Harassment during Crossroads 2017: A Miranda House student, Meghna Singh, was sexually harassed during KK’s concert at Crossroads 2017, the annual cultural festival of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC). When she returned home after the concert she noticed white spots on her black trousers, that were evident semen stains. The student received a lot of flak and was trolled on social media. Meghna’s incident generated a lot of buzz and created a conversation about harassment in college fests.

8) Semen-filled balloon pelting around Holi: Students from Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) and Jesus and Mary College (JMC) were pelted with balloons that were allegedly filled with semen around Holi. A woman in Amar Colony was pelted on the head with a semen-filled balloon on 28th February 2018. In response to such deeply disturbing events, the LSR Students’ Union organised a protest on 1st March, along with students of JMC.

9) Bharti College student harassment case: A final-year political science student of Bharti College wrote to the Vice-Chancellor accusing one of her professors of sexual harassment. The student did not approach the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) because of its non-functioning nature. The Committees Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) of the University which later changed to ICC, is a presence only on papers in 70% colleges of the University.

10) DRC Students harassed by Bank Employee: A first year student from Daulat Ram College was harassed by an Indian Overseas Bank employee, who worked on the campus branch of the same. The accused had earlier helped the victim when she was having trouble with funds in relation to her mother’s operation. He later offered to drive her to college, since he lived in the same area. The incident was shared with an ABVP activist within the college and an FIR was later filed against the accused.

11) Rape threats against Gurmehar Kaur: Gurmehar Kaur, a student from Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), protested against ABVP during the Ramjas controversy which took place in early 2017. In response, a year old video of her speaking for peace as a part of her “#ProfileForPeace campaign” was dug out and used to mercilessly troll her, even by known public figures. Kaur was branded as an “anti-national” and received multiple rape threats on social media. She subsequently dealt with the issue with courage and is now an activist and published author.

12) Aditi Mahavidyala Student harassed: In January of 2016, a student of Aditi Mahavidyalaya accused a visually impaired professor of harassing her by sending her inappropriate text messages. She added that he sent her inappropriate videos and called her at odd hours. The student said that the college principal, Mamta Sharma, had been unsupportive after which she decided to reach out the police. The principal dismissed these claims and said that the matter had been referred to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for further probing.

These cases are a handful amongst all the incidents of harassment and violence that take place on campus. A significant number of cases go unreported, unbelieved, and silenced. Most colleges lack an efficient and systematic Sexual Harassment Redressal Committee which further alienates victim’s and breeds complacence and silence towards harassment. Often authorities and friends do not believe the victims narrative or remain neutral which adds to the problem. The problem of trolling is prevalent as is obvious in the case of Gurmehar Kaur and Meghna Singh, both of whom were mercilessly shamed on social media. Mr. B.N. Ray who was found guilty by an ICC almost a decade after the accusations against him were first made; shows how time-consuming and draining such legal proceedings can be, which is something which deters a lot of victims from coming forward. With the rise of activism and awareness in students, resistance against sexism and harassment is strengthening. Hopefully, the cohesive efforts of students will lead to the University becoming a safer place.

 

Feature Image Credits: Nazariya

Kinjal Pandey | [email protected]

Prachi Mehra | [email protected]

Sara Sohail | [email protected]

 

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Commitment Phobia in Young Adults

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Our generation is accused of being fickle minded and afraid to commit. Is there any truth to these stereotypes, and if yes, why is that a problem? Read on to find out more.

Our generation gets a fair amount of backlash for having a dicey stance on commitment. Making generalisations regarding a number of people would be problematic but most of us experience some kind of commitment issues, especially in school and college. We are accused of hopping from one partner to another, while not making the effort to stick to one. However, we are not the most commitment phobic generation to date; we are just the ones who have the luxury to be most vocal about our commitment issues. Greater social acceptance of casual dating and exploring our options has given us a sense of liberation that our predecessors did not have. With greater permeability of the media, we can see how even the most seemingly perfect relationships can fall apart.

A greater understanding of the world and its mechanisms gives us the privilege of speaking out loud about our issues. The idea of love and its universality are not thrust on as vigorously as they were on our parents and grandparents. We are free to fall in love with someone, but equally free to fall out of it; we are free to be drawn to someone but equally free to not be chained to them. The kind of liberation that comes with this knowledge, allows us to question narratives that have been forced on people through religious doctrine and social norms.  The idea of “forever”, “soul mate”, and “sacrifice” are actively questioned and challenged today.

Therefore, what some have tried to describe as commitment phobia is actually a greater understanding of human behaviour and the emotional needs that come with it. The hesitation towards being tied down to one person is aggressively portrayed as undesirable. It adds to the narrative that projects this generation as fickle minded. It makes us shy of getting attached to one person.

All in all, millennials are not people who are more commitment phobic per se; they are simply more self-aware. We have seen things like public breakdowns of the most seemingly stable celebrity marriages, and with access to resources like the internet, makes us question anything and everything; the idea of “forever” is another notion that is effectively challenged.

The fear of commitment comes from the knowledge of understanding what commitment takes. This generation does not tend to make life decisions based on glorified ideas written in scriptures, but, by using rationality and logic; we try to find what suits us best and work along with it.

 

Feature Image Credits: Optimum Performance Institute

Kinjal Pandey

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A Three-Step Plan For Effective Self-Improvement

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Read on to find out how to make an efficient and simple plan to be a better version of you through the practice of self-improvement.

Self-improvement is an intimidating process that is often perceived as a short struggle rather than long-term metamorphosis. Read on to find out how to go about it in a simple way-

Seek emotional stability:

Whoever you are and whatever you do, you are a result of millions of years of evolution and have been made and raised with love and care. Respecting yourself, your emotions, your insecurities, your fears, and every part of you is the first step to be emotionally stable. This would be the most difficult part of your transformation plan, years of negative thought processes and social conditioning is not easy to get rid of. Maintain a journal where you consistently pen down you emotions, without fear of judgement and with absolute candour. Embrace honesty as a virtue and communicate openly, even if others may not want to hear it. Being authentic in a world where almost everyone portrays a façade gives an irreplaceable sense of pride. Most importantly, respect yourself for who you are; that will effectively help you become a happier person. Have a healthy emotional relationship with yourself and with others, which should include respect, kindness, and forgiveness.

Engage in a physical activity:

Irrespective of your fitness levels, make time to engage in some form of physical activity daily. This advice has little to do with your physical appearance or how you feel about your body. Go for a run, take a long walk, play a sport, dance, keep moving daily. Channel the physical strength of your body and marvel at the beauty of its fluidity every day. Your body is a wonder, a piece of art that you have absolute control over. Relish the experience of running until you are out of breath, spent, and exhausted. Exercise by its very virtue, be it playing a sport or going for a jog regulates our emotions and gives us a passage to express our angst in a healthy way.

Focus on your long-term goal:

Most college students are devoted to multiple societies and NGO’s while pursuing a full-time education. These additional commitments require long hours of dedication. This makes one feel like they are being pulled in too many directions at the same time. As a result, most of us end up compromising on our academics which can lead to a long-term setback. Therefore, allocating a window of time that you would dedicate to academics, or whatever your primary long-term goal in life is and working on the same religiously during that time, will help you with bettering yourself as a person.  The number of hours you need to dedicate to this would vary from course to course and is subjective to your individual capacities and needs. This time period should be fairly realistic in nature and should be followed strictly. Try incorporating it into your schedule at a time when you are most likely to be free, say early in the morning. Once you are doing what you are primarily supposed to do, whether it is studying for GMAT, entrance examinations, or recording music in order to learn music production, you would feel more in control of your life and therefore happier in general.

Most importantly, in this entire process of self-improvement, do not forget to love all versions of yourself. Seek growth but do not forget to live in the moment and celebrate your gifts and form meaningful bonds with people that reinforce this kind of positivity. Choose to improve yourself not because of hate and disgust for your current self but out of respect for your ambitions and due to a desire to be better in the future. Happy growing!

 

Feature Image Credits: Embracing Money

Kinjal Pandey

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Arts & Culture

Tempest 2018’s second day ends on a Thrilling and Musical Note

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Tempest 2018 saw activities like Euphonic Yoga, quizzes, art exhibitions, stage play, and a performance by DJ Vibzz on its second Day. 

Tempest 2018 saw its second day start on a sombre yet delightful mood with the Euphonic Yoga- an event that was a fusion of Indian Classical Dance and Yoga. Through the day, an array of competitions like debates, quizzes, and stage play took place. The college had been creatively decorated in sync with the theme of the fest- “The Future of Fun” with dream catchers, coloured disks and other quirky items reflecting the same. The college had been embellished in a picturesque manner and students were seen taking photos and posing along the same. The crowd increased significantly during the afternoon and soon enough the campus was buzzing with people taking photos, checking out stalls, and meeting new people.

Euphonic Yoga kicked off at Tempest 2018, the annual cultural festival of Miranda House, University of Delhi. The narrator started the enchanting and educational performance by giving a brief on the birth and significance of Yoga and the much renowned Indian Classical dance form Kathak. The auditorium of the college was filled with enthusiastic students and faculty alike to witness this enlightening display of this fusion of an Indian Classical dance form and yoga.

The Hindi debate competition organised by the Vaad Vivad Samiti (Hindi Debating Society) of Miranda House saw over 15 individuals who spoke on the topic ‘The increasing use of technology is undermining emotions’. The debate was in the turncoat format and was judged by eminent debaters Sahil Kairo and Loh Kumar. While announcing the results the judges explained that they devoted equal importance to content as well as the language. Aadiya Kumar from Kirori Mal College won the first prize in the same while Rajesh Kumar Jha from Shivaji College and Ramanand Sharma from Acharya Narendra Dev College won the second and the third position respectively.

Aerials, the English Stage Play Society of Miranda House enacted Jean-Paul Sartre’s acclaimed play, ‘No Exit’. Three damned souls are locked in a mysterious room in hell forever and reveal their crimes. The play was performed well by the actors and the team received a huge round of applause and cheers from the audience at the end.
Adwitiya, the Fine Arts Society of Miranda House had organised an art exhibition displaying some of the finest art pieces created by their members. They had also organised a competition called ’Maidan-e-Craft’ on the theme of Spirituality and participants were provided with the creative material and topic on the spot. The first position was shared by Yogesh Kumar of Sri Venkateshwara College and Sangeeta of Miranda House while the second position was secured by Ankita Patil of Hans Raj College.

The English Debating Society of Miranda House organized its event ‘Shama Kohli’- a Memorial conventional debate. ‘This House believes that Religion is Outdated’ was the motion of the house. During the course of the argument, certain pertinent issues were raised by the young debaters. Indira from the English department of Miranda House and Nitish from the Economics department of Miranda House judged the event. The level of engagement was quite intense and relevant among the debaters. Saurabh Dubey from Satyawati Evening College and Rajesh Jha from Shivaji College were judged the ‘Best Speaker for the Motion’. Ivan Baruah from Shyam Lal Anand College was given the award for ’Best Speaker against the Motion’. Satyawati Evening College bagged the award for the best team while Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology and PGDAV College came second. ‘The Best Interjector award’ was shared by Simran Sharma from Daulat Ram College and Aman Kumar from Shyam Lal College. A special mention was given to Parth from Hansraj College.

The most anticipated event of the day, the DJ Night was also one of the most exciting for the crowd. DJ Vibzz thrilled the crowd by playing hits like “Bum Tum Tum”, “Lawng Gawacha”, and “Lean On”. The performance delighted the fest and concluded the day of Tempest 2018 on a highly energetic note.

Feature Image Credits– Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat.

Anukriti Mishra

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Bhavya Banerjee

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Niharika Dabral

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Prachi Mehra

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Sandeep Samal

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DUB Speak

Insomnia In College: A Sleepless Nightmare

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College students tend to be awake until late at night doing one thing or the other. However, sleep deprivation crops up slowly leading to physical and emotional problems.

Staying up till 3:00 AM seems fun to a school student living with their parents. The idea of going to bed and waking up at one’s own leisure sounds like a luxury school students crave. When these students enter college, live away from home, and dictate their sleep-cycle; that is when the effect of this idea is fully understood. The idea of staying up late in the night when everything becomes quiet, feels soothing and reading a book or watching a movie seems like the perfect match to the setting. Or maybe a good long conversation over text is also preferable. Well, a few random nights times turn into a habit and a rather unwanted one too.

The effects of sleep deprivation on the human body are significantly harmful. It leads to a weaker immune system, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, and much more. Talking about statistics, a survey report published in The Hindu said that about 93% Indians suffer from sleep deprivation with almost 87% leaving it untreated. As per brandongaille.com, 7 out of 10 students in college said they get less than the recommended amount of sleep. The reasons for these students varied from academic pressure to emotional issues.

So, what exactly is it about college life that brings this culture of staying awake until long? “The attention in college life turns towards not only keeping up with academics but also towards indulging in activities that build up my CV,” said Manan Kalra, a first-year student of the University of Delhi. It cannot be denied that the focus shifts towards career building rather than scoring marks. Outstations may also tend to adopt the habit of staying awake until night because of ill-disciplined lifestyle and lack of guidance from parents or guardians.

However, waking up at night is not necessarily due to just the academic pressure of college work. College life is a phase where we shift our focus on developing ourselves as a person. We are in a transition phase at the individual, social and emotional level. Talking about the nature of this habit, Dr Nidhi Prakash, Assistant Professor from the Department of Psychology said “College life is a stage where an individual becomes more conscious and aware of himself/herself. One starts emphasizing more upon things like self-image, social acceptability, and validation.”

It seems as if the very source of insomnia is not necessarily random. More importantly, it seems as if sleep deprivation at the college level is inevitable. The problem with the habit is that the positive effects are still a probability while the negative effect is certain. One may or may not be able to inject the skills or contemplate about being socially acceptable, but they certainly tamper with their body. We need to keep in mind the long-term implications of the lack of sleep on our body. Maybe its high-time we prioritize our health and well-being and give our sleep cycle the importance it requires.

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Karan Singhania

Feature Image Credits: Advil

 

 

 

 

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Campus Central

Cultural Fests and the Underlying Importance

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Cultural fests have carved a niche in the university ecosystem for all the right reasons. Delineating on all of them throws light on important roles fests have been playing in one student’s life.

The tradition of celebrating Cultural fests is widespread in colleges across the stretch of the country. Cultural fest plays a predominant role in a student’s life and in the recent years, have managed to etch a significant place for themselves in the academic calendar. There is a growing consensus that a college festival is not just about fun but that it also augments a student’s learning experience.

‘Antardhvani’ testifies that the University of Delhi recognized the underlined importance of such cultural fests. It helped students to stage their talent and get recognition on a greater scale. The flagship event was discontinued in the year 2015. However, the university encourages its constituent colleges to conduct such festivals every academic year.

What good do the cultural fests impart to students? For one, through participation in fests, a student picks up a variety of skills. The networking ability of students skyrockets during involvement in fests. Students end up finding contact that can support them and can help them during future career stages.  Cultural fests give a lot of social benefits the biggest being inter-college interaction. Students get a chance to medley with people from different walks of life.

Organizing and participating in fest activities is not a child’s play; it needs arduous efforts and stern dedication. Fests facilitate students to work for a fixed goal in unison and this eventually develops a sense of responsibility in them. It elevates confidence and also teaches them how to work in a team and in various challenging situations.

In outstation fests, students get chance to explore the campus and city more after the event, eventually getting exposed to different culture. This helps them understand different cultures and explore their sensitivities and finer nuances. Most of the employers hire students whose potential don’t just revolve around bookish knowledge. Continuous involvement in more than one activity reflects skills and abilities of the student. Students learn to prioritize and time management too. These academically and co-circularly talented students have an outstanding personality, which helps them to forge ahead in their career.

Lastly, the prime intention of pulling up a fest is to allow students a period of recreation. Though cultural fests rob students of their energy but replenish them with new vigor and enthusiasm. Memories and friendships created in fests are cherished forever. In the vicious life cycle of a student, revolving around studies, ‘College Fests’ shows a certain degree of inflation in the excitement levels of students.

Sandeep Samal

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Feature Image Credits: Twenty19

 

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Showing Overt Signs of Affection Is Important

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Display of affection has largely been limited to romantic relationships. Letters, well-thought-out presents, and grand gestures are often not extended to parents, old friends, grandparents, siblings, and cousins because we take them for granted, but life is unpredictable and we do not have the luxury to lose the opportunity to show our love.

Overt signs of affection include using kind words, verbally reminding the people in our lives that they are loved, going out of our way to make them feel better. More often than not, these gestures are not extended to the people we love the most. Telling your parents you love them sounds silly to a lot of people, “Of course I love them, they are my parents! I don’t need to say it out loud”, is the first thought that comes to mind. We spend a considerable chunk of our lives hiding positive emotions from the people closest to us while anger and resentment are readily expressed.

The biggest mistake we can make, in terms of interpersonal relationships is taking someone who matters a lot to us, for granted. Regret can be unforgiving to those who do not appreciate their gifts and the worst of all regrets is the regret to have not loved enough. Indian middle class households are particularly prone to be unnecessarily stiff, even when there is an ocean of emotion inside. Our parents show their love through “Did you eat” or “Please go to bed on time” rather than by “I love you” or “I am so proud of you”. But their hesitation towards showing love does not give us the license to do the same; it then falls upon us to ensure that we show them the love we feel, even if it is unprecedented in our household.

In our impatience and youth, our fearlessness and arrogance, we assume no harm can come to us or to the ones we care about. We aren’t hardened enough; our purview of the world is utopian. This makes take what we have for granted. Unfortunately, life is far from fair. Tragedy, loss, sickness, separation are an established truth, something we will eventually have to face. Perhaps then, we would regret our audacity and ungratefulness but that regret would come too late. It is therefore imperative that we show love to those we care about without the fear of sounding too sentimental. The greatest gift that human beings have is the gift of emotion; our emotions are complex and all-consuming and sometimes giving them free-reign is the best thing we can do. Therefore, love fearlessly and do not be afraid to let it be known.

 

Feature Image Credits: Catholic March

Kinjal Pandey
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Events

Enactus SSCBS organised the Social Startup Fest 2018

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To celebrate the spirit of social entrepreneurship during the Enactus India festival week, Enactus Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, hosted The Social Startup Fest in collaboration with SSCBS Innovation and Incubation Foundation on February 6, 2018. Enactus is an international not-for-profit organization which aims to take entrepreneurial action for social empowerment with its chapters across 36 countries.

One such chapter of Enactus works in Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies and has two existing projects that work towards providing digital literacy and eradicating open defecation across the country. The fest aimed at providing a platform that brought amass acclaimed investors, incubators, industry experts, CSR Heads and NGOs to interact with a multitude of social startups and Enactus projects that have proliferated recently. It represented an opportunity for Social enterprises from across the nation to demonstrate their intervention in various spheres like those of education, health, sanitation, nutrition and more. Mindpiper, Arogya, Chakr Innovation, Enactus LSR, and Enactus Hindu are only a few of the many participants who turned up.

The event commenced with a welcome address by Ms Poonam Verma, the principal of the college. The chief guest of the event, Mr Satvinder Singh, senior general manager at NSIC, enlightened the audience with his profound words about the need of social leaders and the manner in which each one of us can induce social change. This was followed by a panel discussion on the agenda, ‘Challenge to Change’. It was moderated by Mr Ashish Beergi, a youth activist and a social entrepreneur based out of New Delhi, India. He is the co-founder and CEO of MASH Project which is a youth-led non-profit organisation, building a global ecosystem for young social entrepreneurs. The esteemed panel also included Ms Prarthna Gupta, Mr Shwetabh Verma, Mr Gaurav Singh and Ms Ishita Verma. Ms Gupta is the Chief Operating Officer and the Head of Campaigns at BitGiving, a crowdfunding platform that enables artists, engineers, and creators from all the walks of life to come together in a bid to raise funds online and share their stories. Mr Verma, on the other hand, is the Design Strategist and Chief Innovation Officer at Adisyam who works at the intersection of business, technology, marketing and education along with startups, budding entrepreneurs and young leaders with ideas to solve pressing real-world problems. Ms Ishita Verma, a founder-partner of Nova Growth Partners, also strives to unveil the true potential of individuals who approach her. Her company brings together a panel of high-calibre experts in diverse fields – ranging from social impact to investment banking – to deliver actionable insights and implementation support that further the mission of their clients. Mr Gaurav Singh drives growth and marketing at SocialCops, a data intelligence company that thrives to confront the world’s most critical problems through data. The company seeks to empower leaders by enabling them to make their toughest decisions faster, smarter and more data-driven. By reminiscing the struggles of their own experiences as amateurs, the social leaders deciphered the obstacles that startups tend to encounter and provided prospective solutions against the problems that prevent them from excelling. Post the discussion, the teams dispersed to network and interact with those present, with the aim to collaborate.

A marked success, the fest represented young entrepreneurs who endeavour to change the world and transform lives, thus imbibing the true spirit of Enactus. We look forward to seeing these dreams turn into reality, and transform the world.

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Arts & Culture

10 Women You Must Follow On Social Media

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These women are magazine editors, models, researchers, engineers, writers, and more. They promote feminism and support an array of causes all the while being extremely good at what they do. Follow them for a daily dose of inspiration.

  1. Elaine Welteroth is the former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue. Under her leadership, Teen Vogue has been writing out-of-the-box, political, and revolutionary pieces that provide teen girls the right kind of content in order to grow. Her Instagram features photos of her at Women’s Marches, participating and advocating for the cause of women and minorities.
  2. Imaan Sheikh is a Dubai based Buzzfeed writer. Her social media activity includes sharing hard-hitting pieces along with light content. Given the nature of work-profile, she is updated with the current news. She is witty and has well-formed opinions on most current issues that are expressed with humour.
  3. Dr. Jane Goodall is a British primatologist and is considered to be the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. Her work on animal conservation is legendary and her joining Instagram was a way to connect the newer generation with her work. Dr. Goodall is highly respected, acclaimed, and admired. Following her on social media would be a great way to know more about the life and work of a woman of who is regarded as a living legend.
  4. Twinkle R. Khanna is a writer, producer, and columnist. She writes about gender and is outspoken on twitter regarding issues close to her heart. Khanna belongs to a new tribe of Indian celebrities who do not shy from having a public stance on political issues.
  5. IronRing Girls is an Instagram handle that encourages women to pursue STEM courses, especially engineering and gives them tips and tricks to stand out in these male-dominated spheres. Engineers in Canada upon graduation are given an iron ring something that has become a matter of immense pride today, hence the name of the handle. IronRingGirls, run by Civil Engineer Mina Dezz, shares memes on engineering, tips on how to ace interviews, time management, and self-improvement. Women are highly under-represented in the field of STEM and this page tries to motivate women to keep going by sharing relatable and motivational content.
  6. Aranya Johar is a 19-year-old slam poet and social media activist based in Mumbai. Johar is active on Instagram and often uses stories to update people on current issues. What makes following her even more interesting is the fact that she acknowledges her mistakes and willingly updates people after researching on a particular incident if her knowledge of the subject is limited. Her candor and honesty make it easier to grasp the content shared by her.
  7. Michele Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, is a proud South Side Chicago girl. Her activism has not dwindled even after moving out from the White House. She writes about her personal adventures, about the Obama Foundation, all the while bringing up and thanking the strong women in her life on her social media handles.
  8. Paula Brostein is a global photojournalist and author. She posts photos from refugee camps and documents their losses, gains, small joys, and stories. Her work is touching and brilliant and her brand of storytelling puts things in perspective.
  9. Ashley Graham is a model and body positivity activist. She promotes the idea of beauty beyond size and has fiercely promoted a raw and authentic version of herself on social media. Her Instagram includes aspects of her that some would see as “imperfections”, but Graham embraces these aspects of herself and encourages her followers to do the same.
  10. Mindy Kaling is a comedian and actress who actively promotes feminism on her social media handles. Photos from the women’s march, quotes from Cher, along with a healthy dose of humour is what one can expect from Kaling’s Instagram.These women have created a significant impact on the lives of people around them. With the rise of the internet, social media activism is becoming a more legitimate platform to debate and discuss. Following the right people on platforms where we spend a large chunk of our time, can make our idle scrolling educational.

 

Feature Image Credits: Boston Magazine

Kinjal Pandey
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The Real Cost of Fast Fashion

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Fast-fashion is our guilty pleasure. We scrounge across the aisles of Forever 21 and H&M looking for that velvet crop top, knowing all too well that will be out of fashion in the next six months. The cost of fast fashion is not just monetary; it is a drain on our planets finite resources and promotes wastefulness. 

Fast-fashion is addictive and the rise of social media, especially Instagram stories has made it even more important. Now that most people know what we are up to, at all times, looking good and dressing well has become even more important. The temptation of fast fashion is understandable, you can now dress like Chiara Ferragni but at a fraction of the price. This has led to the rise of an entire industry that mass-produces cheaply made clothes, often tweaked replicas of what fashion influencers appear to be wearing and sell it at a inflated prices. We end up buying these pieces, knowing well that they are shoddily made and will not stand the test of time simply because the temptation to dress fashionably is too strong.

This has resulted in us owning a large number of clothes that quickly go out of style and crowd our wardrobe. Fast fashion makes us look like clones without any sense of individuality. We are all shopping at the same place, for the same things after all. However, the biggest price for fast fashion is paid by planet earth, not us. Fast fashion churns and burns clothes at an alarming rate and  our planet simply cannot afford this kind of wastefulness and greed. According to Forbes, the rising demand for cotton is making cotton producing countries prioritise cotton production over providing clean water to its citizens. Water pollution, landfills full of clothes in styles that have now become redundant, toxic waste being released in rivers, are all results of fast fashion. Polyester, a popular choice of fabric in fast fashion releases micro-fibers that end up polluting our oceans. Fast fashion clothes are often sent to third world countries where they eat up the market of local businesses thus contributing to more unemployment. The biggest problem with fast fashion is how it treats its workers. Since companies compete with each other to sell the latest piece at the cheapest price, they end up cutting corners in terms of wages to employees. These clothes come from sweatshops in countries like Bangladesh, where ceilings fall in such workhouses and employees are paid pennies for the dollar.

Fast-fashion on its surface looks glittery and glamorous. It makes us think of well-lit stores, dainty tops, and affordable clothing but in reality, it is an ugly industry that abuses and manipulates impressionable teenagers, promotes wastefulness, and drains the resources of the planet. Fast-fashion deserves to be boycotted for its blatant abuse of underage women in Bangladesh, all the while hypocritically printing t-shirts that read “Feminist AF”. It is now time we look at things beyond face value. Multi-nationals worth billions would go to great lengths to hide their dirty secrets. It rests upon us to make the effort of putting our money where our mouth is.

 

Feature Image Credits: Europarl TV

Kinjal Pandey

[email protected]

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