Lockdown Diaries: My extended vacation and a beautiful entrapment in Holland
It was in November last year, when we decided to visit Europe. We wanted to cover about seven European nations. As our journey date was approaching, an unprecedented global crisis was unfolding fast. Covid-19 or Coronavirus, has taken the world by surprise. The unpreparedness of countries to deal with this virus has been exposed at various stages. We were also quite...
I Can’t Breathe
At a time of global pandemic, it is telling to see the large gatherings of protestors across America. Personal safety has been thrown aside in a quest for justice. The deep upset and anger caused by the death of George Floyd has been felt far and wide, and it's certainly not just African Americans that can sympathise with the systemic...
Surviving cancer, a tale of hope: Missing the signs
I have been asked to share my Cancer Survivor Journey so that those who have had cancer or currently having cancer treatment will see there is light at the end of the tunnel. The family connection But firstly let me introduce myself my name is Preeti Dudakia born in Nairobi - East Africa, my family (Dad, mum, 3 brothers and myself)...
Open Oven: Baking it Even!
With the world witnessing a paradigm shift, food still holds fort as a constant source of relief. Entrepreneurial ventures stocking on comfort and utility food has become the need of the hour. One such immensely popular bakery in Kolkata, India is the Open Oven Bakery. Instituted by Reshma Sengupta, Open Oven has been supplying tasty and healthy baked food...
Surviving cancer, a tale of hope: The fight back
(continued from "Final Confirmation") This was a turning point for me as I said to myself "I'm stronger than I realise" and from that day onwards I started to strengthen myself, starting with gentle exercises, walking especially with my dad and eating energising foods. Slowly, as days went by, I was gaining my strength and the feeling in my hands...
Surviving cancer, a tale of hope: Final confirmation
(continued from "Missing The Signs") By April 2014, my tummy was increasing in size compared to the rest of my body. I looked as though I was 7 months pregnant. A telling blood test Again another trip to my GP, another scan, MRI, blood tests which revealed that my Ca125 was raised (this is a protein tumour marker to detect ovarian cancer),...
Dance to Nihira Joshi Deshpande’s authentic Cuban music with Hindi lyrics
Germany based Nihira Joshi Deshpande has created an independent song with Hindi lyrics set to the melody of authentic Cuban music. This song Ishq Manayein Kya? has gone viral. Nihira is an internationally acclaimed popular singer, composer, independent music producer, Spanish translator come interpreter. Nihira Joshi Deshpande has been singing for many Marathi and Hindi films, worked with Shankar...
Of poetry and lockdown diaries
As a writer, raconteur and storyteller, I like to find my material, my stories in the real world. I then imbue them with a setting, a context and characters that find a voice to cut across the real and bring to life a message in my work that needs to be repeated constantly. My most recent work which came...
Kaushalya UK’s upcoming project will share stories to empower and uplift women around the world
An upcoming anthology of women titled ‘The New Woman’ - a project lead by Ritu Sharma, is a collection of 34 stories of women who have undergone transformation through adversity, spread across five continents,. The book will be launched on 27 July. Under the umbrella of Ritu's organisation Kaushalya UK, the anthology will showcase "women who have been broken by...
Stories of immigrants from Kentucky Refugee Ministries in Lexington
I recently had the opportunity to work with an organization based in Kentucky called Kentucky Refugee Ministries. The company works with refugees who relocate to Kentucky, trying to help them get their way around their new homes. KRM (Kentucky Refugee Ministries) works to provide them with resources like jobs, medical appointments, and homes, getting a driver’s license or learning...
