Chiiz Volume 04 : Wildlife Photography | Page 4

According to you, who is a modern woman? There is as such no definition we can relate to because in metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi, there is a working class where women are independent and they have a freedom to make a choice about their career, and they are allowed to work and go outside. But there is yet another side in urban villages and slums where women are still not given that kind of freedom. You said you wanted to tell your story, through the stories of Indian women and the dichotomy between the rural and urban population. Is there any particular story that influenced you on a higher note? Since I have been talking to these women in person, there are a few stories that left a profound impact on me. These stories kind of pushed me to start with the project. There is a photo of this particular girl in pink, her name was Bharti, she was just 13. When I reached Mithapur, it was almost 6 in the morning, she wasn't working then and I thought that she has come along with her parents to accompany them as they didn’t want to leave her behind. After some time, she started to work, lifting the heavy sand over her head. And I was shocked to see such a young and thin girl lifting that heavy load on her head. This is one story which really had me hooked. After coming back, I realized that I should be doing something about it. Some of the stories I did about the farmers’ widows created an impact and got them help. Currently I am doing everything on my own and maybe later, I will extend this project, with a team of my own with people of different skills who can be of social service. For now, I collaborate with NGOs and give them pictures for free so that they can use them in their projects. This is a way for me to giv