Aruna Roy elaborated on making choices that propelled equality and prevented misuse of power and discrimination
Updated – January 20, 2025 11:10 am IST
Aruna Roy in conversation with T.M. Krishna at The Hindu Lit for Life 2025. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
“A democracy must allow its wrestlers to lose some of its matches,” said social activist Aruna Roy.
In a captivating session full of wit, punchy lines and laughter, Ms. Roy and Carnatic musician T M Krishna attempted to peel the layers of the ‘identity’ onion in their conversation ‘Personal is political’ on day 2 of The Hindu Lit for Life 2025 on Sunday (January 19, 2025).
Also see: The Hindu Lit for Life 2025 Day 2 LIVE
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Even as they began, the two writers who have been friends for 20 years, engaged in repartee. “We have started off with an argument. We have been suggesting that the other begin,” said Mr. Krishna.
The speaker and the moderator have distinct identities outside of their books — one is a famous social activist and former IAS officer while the other is a celebrated Carnatic musician — decided to jump right in and discuss the theme of the session, fashioned on Aruna Roy’s book The Personal is Political – An Activist’s Memoir.
Lit for Life 2025: The Personal is Political
Mr. Krishna wondered out loud how Ms. Roy engaged with the ‘grey’ layers of her identity. Here, she spoke about making choices that propelled equality and prevented misuse of power and discrimination. She added that bullies had existed throughout her life, both in school and in the Indian Administrative Service albeit they were sophisticated in the latter, she remarked. But the commitment was to fight for what was right. “I have always been an aggressive woman who began fighting battles early on,” she said.
As she had no history of suppression when she moved to Delhi, she only presented parts of her identity that engaged with her gender and class. However, this conversation of intersectionality, particularly on privilege, was one she actively engaged with, she said, quoting how her friend, Naruti, a Dalit woman from rural Rajasthan, often challenged her.
Also read: The Hindu Lit for Life 2025 Day 1 highlights
This is when Mr. Krishna interjected with a question that challenged one of the remarks regarding the book. “It says that you represent India’s marginalised. That’s a bit problematic, isn’t it?” he asked.
Ms. Roy said that the intention was for it to be noticed and added that she has been actively representing the interest of the marginalised over the years. “One mustn’t do it for personal gain, awards or to gain political space. I got the mandate for representation from the members of the communities,” she said. This is the only reason why she volunteered and joined campaigns like that on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
When N. Ram, director of The Hindu Group, asked the two members on stage whether their deliberation on their respective identities is sometimes narcissistic or limiting, the two had distinct answers. While Ms. Roy suggested that when accountability is key to preventing a sense of over-analysing, Mr. Krishna said that doubt is often not necessarily wrong as it allows for realignment. “It is likely that I have blind spots. I have had them for several years. But the intention is to engage with it with honesty,” he says.
Review of Aruna Roy’s The Personal is Political — An Activist’s Memoir: An extraordinary life
Aruna Roy’s feminism shone through during the session. In her two cents to the young people of today, she highlighted that dreams are manifold. People must hence engage with society in a manner where they are not socially constrained by the expectations of family. She added that India feels like a violent society today. She suggested that we hence protect the nation through active thought and action. She suggested that the country should renew its commitment to Gandhi’s non-violence and Ambedkar’s constitution as they are talismans.
The author concluded by saying that she is confident that women will lead this world.
Published – January 19, 2025 03:05 pm IST
Knock nock 
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