By Tanaya Singh:Â
Ojaswini feels that it’s the toughest thing for her to describe herself. “I can be perfectly called an imperfect creature, who loves being that”, she says. A student of English literature, aspiring to become a famous writer someday, she is an agnostic. Describing herself she says that she is a thinker sometimes, sometimes lame, sometimes sensible. Hailing from a very small town, she is an amalgam of new and old, good and bad, sensible and foolish, modern and traditional. An explorer, a reader, a foodie and a movie buff.
As a part of our Opinion Leader of the Week column, we highlight Ojaswini’s personal journey with the Youth Ki Awaaz community.
It’s been around one year that I got associated with Youth Ki Awaaz. I loved writing since a young age but only in my seventh standard did I first get published in a national daily as the winner of a writing contest. I gained confidence in my writing abilities since then and decided gradually to become a writer. Since the last few years, I have been looking for platforms to write online. In December 2012, I luckily got to know of Youth Ki Awaaz through Facebook. Consequently I sent an article, and it got published. Thus began my involvement.
Q2: What are some of the topics you’ve loved writing about, and why?
I work as a freelancer, and mostly write on Youth Ki Awaaz for a different writing experience. This platform is very much different from what my work offers. Here, I mostly enjoy writing about issues that I can’t write about otherwise.
I am a hard core feminist. I love talking, discussing and writing about it and all other issues that connect to it. Also, I love writing articles that aim for reforming the old and obsolete cultures and beliefs that are eating up our society.
Q3: What is it that you see as the outcome of your writings at Youth Ki Awaaz, at present or how would you like the outcome to be in the future?
Every writer writes for readers. So of course I most of all want to reach readers. Social media is the most modern tool to reach people today. As this platform provides a writer with the opportunity to write socially relevant articles, it definitely facilitates my purpose in the best way. If with my writings I can reach and consequently get people thinking, what can be better, be it today or later?
Q4: If you wanted to change one thing about Youth Ki Awaaz, what would it be?
Youth Ki Awaaz is already doing a great task in many ways. Firstly, it provides a voice to the youth for everything they want to talk about. Then, as I already said, it is an element of the social media, the most powerful and modern technique to reach the masses today. Still, if I really have to say one thing I want to change about YKA, it will be to ‘accept Hindi write ups as well in larger numbers’. There are many writers from the young brigade who write in Hindi. They as well have a lot to say. If YKA can provide them too with an equal chance as the writers in English, I am sure it will be a wonderful addition.
Q5: What do you like to do when you’re not writing, or thinking about pressing issues, or just working?
Writing can hardly leave my mind. No matter where I go or what I do, I love to observe and jot down my observations so that it can later make material for my write ups.
Generally, if not writing or thinking I would be found drowsy on the couch or reading something, or busy watching some or the other sitcom on my laptop. I am a sitcom addict, big time!
Q6: What one question would you like to pose to your audience?
I don’t really have any questions I can think of asking the readers. I rather love answering those that come from them, in the form of comments.