Sunday Long Reads: Independence Day special brings ‘My Freedom Story’

‘My independence day has come to me over and over again’

Reba Das is a vegetable vendor

Reba Das, 43,
Vegetable vendor, Delhi

Many people tell me why I didn’t make use of my school education to do better in life. But I schooled myself in the classrooms that life let me into and know that I have learnt many lessons that others have not. And I am good at arithmetic.

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‘It was a huge relief to be able to hand in my resignation’

Sarah Lall is a researcher

Sarah Lall, 41
Researcher, Chennai

I quit my job in May this year after having worked as a college professor for the past 12 years. What I loved about my job was the vibrant atmosphere of students milling around and the opportunity to nurture curious minds.

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‘I like to believe she accepted me as her own from the second I met her’

Tannishtha Chatterjee with her daughter

Tannishtha Chatterjee 

Since my early teens, I wanted to adopt a child and not have a biological one of my own. This is a belief that grew stronger when I became aware of the plight of children living on streets, especially when my family moved back to India after living abroad for years. I was around nine years old at that time. As I grew older, I became firm in my belief that to experience motherhood, I don’t have to give birth to a child and populate the planet further.

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‘My bookstore has been my greatest experience of freedom’

Krishna Gowda is a bookstore owner (Credit: Jitendra Kumar)

Krishna Gowda, 43
Bookstore owner, Bengaluru

A few days ago, Australian cricket writer Mike Coward visited my store, Bookworm, and he was surprised to see a book he wrote in 1990 — Cricket Beyond the Bazaar — on the shelves. It had been out of print for a long time. But that’s not the only such surprise you’ll get at my store. Another such rare item was a scribble book owned by Indira Gandhi, which has her drawings and her signature.

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What ails the cheetahs in Kuno?

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Translocated cheetahs are fighting for survival (Narendra Modi/Twitter)

September will mark the first birthday of India’s grand cheetah re-introduction project. There are no indications as yet whether a birthday party will be held for this occasion (with a cake being cut), and top VIPs being invited, probably not because this might hurt the sentiments of the surviving cheetahs who may be grieving the loss of the nine that have died, including three babies, all in just four months. Down In Jungleland (DIJ) managed to interview one of the survivors to discuss the project and the issues relating to the deaths and what the future seems to have in store.

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