By Dhwani Verma Taking care of my elderly father has been both rewarding and challenging. It’s a role I willingly took on, but it comes with its fair share of criticism, especially from family members who might not understand the complexities of caregiving. When I first started caring for my dad, I was surprised by…
BY ANOUSHKA SAXENA Child marriage is banned by the law of the land today but was etched into the fate of many young girls at the time of Independence. Ms Geeta Saxena, 69, was one such child bride whose palanquin left for her husband’s home at the tender age of thirteen. “I was too naïve…
By Devika Khandelwal In Delhi’s bustling streets, a heartfelt narrative unfolds—a story of longing, distance, and the yearning for connection that stretches across miles. In our globalized world, families are often spread far apart, but few separations pull at the heartstrings quite like the one between elderly parents and their children. As the younger generation…
BY ANOUSHKA SAXENA The prospect of living alone in old age can seem daunting to some, but for others, it can be a way to retain their independence and maintain their sense of self-reliance. My grandpa’s friend, Mr Vasudev Kakkar, 84, who resides in Jodhpur, has been living alone for over 20 years now. He has…
By Aparna Srinivas The old woman, Meena, ninety years old, was sprightly and alert. She came from a well-to-do family and had nurtured the wealth well. She did not have to wonder about her wants. After Covid she had slowed down. She was restricted to her bed, needing nursing care. She lived with her daughter,…
By Devika Khandelwal At a time when tradition held women’s dreams tightly in its grasp, one woman dared to break free. Ms Sunita Khandelwal, her name synonymous with defiance, defied the age-old boundaries that kept women from education. Her story is a testament to the unwavering spirit that can rise even in the face of…
BY ANOUSHKA SAXENA We often associate some of the most cherished memories from our childhood days with the engaging bedtime stories our grandmothers would narrate to us, every day, at night so we could sink into a deep slumber and wake up all fresh and beaming with energy the next morning to go to school….
By Aanchal Lal I took care of my ageing mother for almost ten years after she developed dementia. My mother was an extremely independent person and took care of the family with an iron hand. As children, we were both afraid of her and loved her. She was a unique person. My father too depended…
By Shubha Sharma This is a story from a time the world had shut down – the COVID-19 lockdown. My father rekindled his passion for music through the violin, which he had not touched for over two decades. The teacher was 82 years old, her student was then 77. She was in North Carolina, and…