It seems surreal to me that I am only over a year old on YKA because my journey has been so enriching and overwhelming. My first post, about taboos related to sex in the Indian society, was published on February 6, 2017. In the past one year, I have written 23 pieces on Youth Ki Awaaz, and each article had a story in the background. There was a reason why I felt it necessary to talk about those issues. And the best part was that when many media houses that I worked for had their ‘reservations’ regarding a lot of issues, YKA was one platform which was always there for me.
I have been able to talk about a range of issues without having to worry about being ‘politically correct’. From the objectification of women to hate crimes and depression to internet trolling – I spoke about everything that affected me as a journalist, and more importantly, as a human being. YKA became the wind beneath my wings by taking my words to millions of people. My pieces got noticed and shared by eminent people like Richa Anirudh, Abhishek Bachchan, Swara Bhaskar, Disha Patani and Neetu Chandra to name a few. The point of being able to express, share and create an impact may not have any direct relation to celebs sharing your stories, but one cannot deny the fact that the spectrum of viewership increases manifold if an eminent person shares it. And YKA helped me do that.
One of the most important episodes that I shared on YKA last year was when I recounted the story of how a cab driver tried to assault me. I shared my story on YKA and was able to reach millions. I was able to convey to women in different parts of the country and the world that it was okay – in fact, it was important – to fight back in such situations. The fact that I received hundreds of messages from people I had never met in life told me about the massive impact that the story had created. Team YKA assisted me personally in reaching out to more and more people about this.
Another perk of being a YKAian is that you build a family, a community for yourself. I found friends in my editors at YKA, Arunima being the most awesome one. Anshul Tewari – the editor-in-chief of Youth Ki Awaaz – reaches out to writers personally and encourages us to write on relevant topics. The weekly digest feeds you with the most awesome and relevant pieces on issues that actually matter.
In a nutshell, Youth Ki Awaaz is my haven that I look up to when I am angry, upset, worried, happy, content or just in the mood to start a discussion on something that affects me.
As YKA turns 10, I congratulate the entire family. I couldn’t be more thankful that I am associated with this progressive community and I hope that it continues like this.