A room full of eager eyes watched as we set up the projector and laptop. Whispers floated through the air—Was it going to be a movie? A tutorial? A lecture? No one knew what to expect. The anticipation was palpable.
Then, with the flick of a key, the screen came alive. Not a documentary. Not a slide deck. But an electrifying excerpt from a football match.
Swati Sengupta—author and gender rights educator—was all set to spark a conversation with a motley group of girl students from Deepalaya Learning Centre on the theme of equality. Known for her books like Half the Field Is Mine and the Incredible Life series, Swati has been conducting gender workshops for youth under the series The Elephant in the Room, along with sensitization programmes like Dear Boys and Equality Matters in collaboration with Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police.
This was the first Bookaroo in the City session this year, the year of Bookaroo’s 50th edition. From discussions on sports to the unequal treatment after report cards are handed out, Swati guided the girls into reflecting on the everyday inequalities they often take for granted. We also explored the crossroads between choosing a career and “getting settled”—a conversation that stirred quiet introspection.
What stood out was the tone of the session: calm, candid, and deeply positive. It was clear—they had been waiting to be heard. Some of the girls got up to do some plain speaking Bindaas and clinical.
From Arati Saha, the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel, to Anandibai Joshi, the first Indian woman to study Western medicine—each story widened the eyes of the audience, lighting up the room with awe and possibility.
Though games like cycling, kho-kho, and kabaddi were common among them, football and cricket often felt out of reach—limited by the lack of open space. The cramped slum area right beside where we chatted reflected the physical constraints these girls live in. But the energy with which they dashed into the session—while we were still struggling to park—said it all.
Just a nudge. A window of opportunity. That’s all it takes. These girls are ready to fly.
Thus this year’s outreach Bookaroo in the City kicked off. We left the girls with some of Swati’s books. Signed copies to remember the afternoon.
A big thanks to our supporter Perfetti Van Melle.
